


King of My Heart

by OperaGoose



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Photographer, Bisexual Male Character, F/F, F/M, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Not Everyone Remembers, Pining, Reincarnation, Relationship Endgame, Tragedy, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-02-11 03:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 34,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12926598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OperaGoose/pseuds/OperaGoose
Summary: "Prompto Leonis is sick of seeing and hearing about the legendary King Noctis everywhere he goes. He even dreams about him! (It's not strange. Even his buddy Gladio dreams about him sometimes).When Vyv gives him control over the photography for an article about the king, he meets up and coming actor Caelum Lucii - who is about to star in a big budget TV show about the life of King Noctis and his companion, Ignis Scientia.It's funny how much their lives intersect, like they've always just been out of step with each other.Noct just wants his best friend back."AKA the author listened to way too much of Taylor Swift's reputation while finishing off another FFXV fic and this plot sprung to life.





	1. A New Assignment

**Author's Note:**

> Notes for name changes:  
> Prompto Argentum: Prompto Leonis, Photographer  
> Lunafreya Nox Flauret: Luna Freya, Model/Designer  
> Gladiolus Amicitia: Gladius “Gladio” Armum, Personal Trainer, Tycoon Heir  
> Jared Hester: Jared Talcott, manager at the Leville in Insomnia.  
> Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV: Caelum Lucii (welll......kinda), Actor  
> Ignis Scientia: Ignis Coctivus, Celebrity Chef  
> Iris Amicitia: Iris Armum, Curator at the Museum of Fashion  
> Aranea Highwind: Ariadne Highwind, Actress  
> Cindy Aurum: Sydney Aurum, Mechanic  
> Dino Ghiraze: Dino Gemmae, Celebrity Gossip Journalist

Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV. The last king of the Lucis line. Why wasn’t he surprised to pull that assignment? 

Every other kid and his pet dog was named Noctis these days. Noctis, hero of light, the last chosen king. It was an auspicious name. The legends were a thousand years old, but they still persisted. 

So much so, he was supposed to be the feature in next month’s History Remembered blog. And Prompto had to take the photos for it. He should be honoured – that Vyv trusted him to shoot the photos for the big anniversary issue. But truth be told he was sick of being haunted by the legend of a long-dead king. 

He grew up on Noctis Avenue, and his uncle Cor’s apartment had been in a building whose side was one huge mural of the legendary king. 

Citadel Academy, where he’d attended for Kindergarten to Senior Year had been built in the place of the ruined castle the legendary Caelum Citadel had once stood. 

Even his best friend Luna had a boyfriend named Noctis in high school. Some son of a business mogul who’d gone to the fancy fine arts school instead of C.A. 

With the constant presence of the king in his life, it hadn’t been surprising that he’d been dreaming of the guy since he was a kid. But everyone did it? Even his gym buddy Gladio agreed he dreamed about the prince sometimes. 

He snapped out of his head as his intercom buzzed. “Prompto. Miss Freya is here for you.” 

Ah, shit. He forgot he’d planned lunch with Luna today. He put down his pen and messily packed up his messenger bag. 

She stood in the lobby, neatly dressed in high fashion. She kissed his cheeks, eyes warm and smile fond. She called goodbye to the receptionist and led him to the elevator, the two of them debating where they would go for lunch. 

It didn’t matter, they’d end up at their usual place. No matter where they argued for, they always sat down at Organyx. 

Over fancy nutrient-rich salads, Luna finally asked him what he was working on at the magazine this week. 

He sighed. “History Remembered. It’s amazing that Vyv trusts me with his pet project. Means he trusts me.” 

“But…?” 

He groaned. “Noctis CXIV.” She patted his hand consolingly, an amused smile on her face. “I gotta plan everything. Models, wardrobe, location.” He paused. “Whiiiiich reminds me. Does your friend still work at the Leville?” 


	2. First Meeting

Prompto crossed another name off his list, trying not to look frustrated as the model left. 

“That was the last one.” 

“Well, shit.” He sighed up and gathered their headshots, shoving them in his bag. “Tell them all to go home. I’ll be in contact by tomorrow night.” 

He headed back to the photographers’ hub, but Vyv caught him in the halls. “How’s my favourite photographer going? Were they the auditions?” 

He tried to be subtle about hiding the list, but his boss took it from his hand. 

Vyv gave a low chuckle. “All of them?” 

He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s my first time picking the model. Guess I got too picky? I was going to go through all the headshots again one by one.” 

“What was wrong with them?” Vyv asked curiously. “You asked for young, pretty, dark-haired and average height.” 

Prompto shrugged. “I don’t know. They just didn’t have that regal _look_ I was after.” 

His boss just gave him a look. “I can help you go through them later. Mr Talcott called, you have to go scout the location and book it before they sell out the Noctis Suite.” 

Prompto hurried away. The Leville was on the other side of the city, near Citadel Academy. It would take him ages to get there and back. 

He hopped on his lady: a sleek black version of The Chocobo XV; and he drove through the backstreets until he reached the hotel. 

Luna’s contact at the hotel, Jared Talcott, shower him the historical Noctis Suite he’d shamelessly used her connections and influence to arrange this opportunity. Being famous with one of the biggest faces in the country came with lots of perks. 

The room was filled with expensive furniture, designed to look antique while still made of the best materials. Supposedly modelled after the legendary king’s bedroom, it would do. He made some small requests for the removal of some fixtures that looked far too out of place for his shoot, and booked the room for the full day. 

After it was all organised, he decided to take his lunchhour while he was out – and spend it chilling out and taking a few photos. You never knew when Vyv might want a shot from the city, and it was a bonus in his paycheque if one of his got used. 

He headed past the C.A. to the Botanical Gardens. The landscaping scrounged together from the old designs for the royal gardens, they were decadent and beautiful. He loved coming here, there was always something new or growing to photograph. 

He wandered about, snapping pics of everything that caught his eye. He’d approached the lake for a few shots when his breath stopped. 

There was a small fishing dock on the lake, and avid fishermen came to try their hand at catching the elusive creatures that lurked in the water. Today it was occupied by a young man, fishing rod in hand. And he was the most beautiful person Prompto had ever seen. 

He had delicate pretty features – though not in a feminine way. His hair was an almost blue-grey black, worn sort of long – though most of it was hidden under a weathered cap. 

His camera fell from numb fingertips, thankfully catching on the strap around his neck. 

The man’s body, though disguised by a puffy grey vest, looked trim and athletic. He stood around the same height as Prompto – but there was something about him that made him look taller. He stood straight and confident, like he was secure and comfortable about his place in the world. His expression as he watched the water was serene, in no rush to catch anything. 

After he could get his thoughts unglued from how goddamn beautiful he was, another thought occurred to Prompto: _this guy was perfect for his photoshoot._ He checked his pockets for a business card and slowly approached the dock. 

“S’cuse me,” he called, trying to get his attention. 

The man seemed to tense at the sound of his voice, slowly turning his body to look at him. Goddamn, he was so fucking beautiful. “You’re…” 

He held out the little card. “Uh, Prompto-” 

“Prompto.” There was a weird breathlessness to the guy’s voice, and his eyes – an intense, deep pale blue – were looking into his own. 

“Yes, Prompto. Leonis. Prompto Leonis, that’s me.” He shifted restlessly and – in an oddly wooden movement – the guy reached out to take the card from him. Their fingers brushed and Prompto felt electricity spark up his spine at the feel of his skin. “I work for Insomniac – the magazine?” 

“You’re a photographer.” There was something weird about his tone of voice. It had the same breathless tone ( _was that just how he talked?_ ), but he almost sounded…proud? Nah, couldn’t be. 

“Yeah. Listen… have you ever done any modelling?” He asked, awkward as hell at just approaching a random stranger. “It’s just… I’m doing this historical shoot soon, and you’re exactly the look I was hoping to find.” 

A frown crossed the stranger’s face as he looked down at the card. 

“Look, I know it’s weird to chase down random people and ask them to be in a photoshoot. You probably don’t have any kind of modelling experience. But you’re… you’re perfect.” 

There was an almost amused quirk to his eyebrow as the stranger looked up at him. “I’ll think about it.” 

Prompto nodded, taking a step back. “Thanks. Just, uh, call the number if you decide you want to.” He fiddled with his camera, awkward. “Would you… mind if I took a photo of you now? The lighting is so perfect and you’re…” 

“Yeah.” The guy turned to put down his fishing rod. 

Prompto crouched, trying to get the right angle. The camera loved this guy, and Prompto loved his sweet little half-quirked smile. He would’ve stood there all day, snapping photo after photo, but his phone chimed. 

He swore. “I gotta get back to work…” 

The stranger nodded. “I’ll see you soon, Prompto…” 


	3. Call-Back

A picture of the handsome man, looking serious and serene – his hat pushed back from his face – had become the focal point of his project. The King Noctis project. The photo was pinned to his mood board, and in his folder, and with the folio of models – and even on his fridge. To keep him focused. Nothing weird. 

He’d never heard back from the guy, so he assumed he’d scared him off with his weirdness. But at least now Vyv knew what it was he was looking for in a model. Together they’d picked out a few of the models who could match the look, and there were call-backs today to see how they could work under the camera. 

He was nursing a coffee from Organyx – an Ebony Special – leaning against the wall outside the audition room while one of the interns got the models settled. The interns had drawn straws for it – model day was always the favourite in the intern pen. 

“Prompto?” 

He lifted his head, a tingle running down his spine. As his eyes raised, they were immediately drawn to a very familiar figure. The stranger from the fishing spot was approaching from further down the hallway. “Hey!” he said, enthused. He stood up properly, a beaming smile crossing his expression. “You came!” 

“Mm,” he said, eyes roving over Prompto. He was suddenly conscious of his clothes – the ancient leather vest with a flannel shirt tied around his waist was hardly fashionable. “I had someone call the office and said you had me in mind, and they said call-backs were on today.” 

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Oh. I never heard back from you, so I had to look at other models. Try and find someone who could compare to you.” 

The stranger chuckled slightly, shaking his head. “Well. Do you have to go sit with the others?” He asked, amused. 

“Oh! No. I already know the camera loves you.” He bit his lip and headed across the hallway. “Here, you can wait in here. If anyone asks, just tell them you’re waiting for me.” 

“Waiting for you,” he repeated, with an odd inflection to his words. 

Prompto opened the door to the photography hub. He pointed to his corner. “You can sit there. I’ve got to go into the call-backs. Help yourself to coffee or snacks or whatever.” 

He spoke to Vyv at a low murmur when he entered the audition room, telling him his first choice had appeared. His boss seemed surprised, but agreed they wouldn’t waste their time and equipment by taking photos. But they did have the models practice their most regal poses, just in case they needed to have one of them on call. 

An hour later, he headed back to the photographer’s hub. He froze in the doorway when he saw Luna sitting there, with the stranger. She was chatting easily, and the stranger looked as if he was comfortable in her presence. 

“Uh,” he said, once he had their attention. “You know Luna?” 

She chuckled a bit, pressing a finger to soft pink lips. “Oh, yes. We’ve known each other for a long time.” 

There was a slight pinkness spreading under the stranger’s cheeks. “Luna and I knew each other as kids.” 

“We dated in high school,” she said, her eyes sparkling with some sort of amusement. She stood and pecked his cheek. “I’ll meet you down at Organyx – I’ll order your usual, shall I?” She looked at the stranger, amused again. “Good to see you again, dear.” 

She strolled out, her walk gliding and elegant. Prompto just gave the guy a strange look. He flushed again. “So, you… didn’t mention what the project was.” He waved a hand at the mood board, and Prompto couldn’t help but think the gesture was oddly helpless. 

“Didn’t I?” Prompto asked, surprised. The mood board was pinned with all sorts of images that reminded him of the aesthetic he was going for – as well as photos of the Noctis Suite at the Leville; the suit from the antique Westwood collection they’d agreed to lend him for the shoot; a few sketches and images of portraits of the legendary king; and – oh fuck, that photo of the guy at the fishing spot. 

No wonder the guy was weirded out. 

He felt his own cheeks heat with a blush. “Right. Okay. So… you’re the legendary King Noctis.” 

An odd, half-strangled noise escaped the guy’s throat, but when Prompto glanced at him he only cleared his throat and pretended it never happened. 

“The shoot will be at the Leville next week on Thursday from 3. In the afternoon, I mean. I want to use the twilight. That’s what you’ll get to wear.” 

“You want me to play Noctis Lucis Caelum for you?” The stranger asked, his eyes intense. “Of all the people, I’m the person you picture when you imagine him?” 

“Well, I don’t know if I’d put it like that,” he said, even though it was pretty much true. “You just fit the look I was searching for. And you’ve got that… presence.” 

“Right…” The stranger quickly got to his feet. “I’m interested. I have to go discuss a contract with your boss. And you have a lunch date.” 

“It’s not a date!” he said hurriedly. 

The stranger looked at him. 

He flushed at the attention. “I mean. Luna’s just… well, she’s my best friend. I’m not dating her.” 

“Noted.” The guy tilted his head at him. “You’d better hurry. Organyx fills up fast.” 

“Ah. Well, Luna knows the owner. Some fancy actor guy? They always keep a table reserved for us. But you’re right. I should go.” He smiled at him. “I’m glad you came. I really wanted it to be you.” 

The stranger chuckled. “Hm. Enjoy your lunch, Prompto. I’ll see you again soon.” 


	4. Identity

“Kid,” Vyv said, “I have no idea how you got _Caelum Lucii_ to agree to a shoot, but this issue is going to be bigger than any before!” 

Prompto blinked at him. “…who?” 

His boss just laughed. “This is why you don’t work for the Entertainment and Lifestyle section.” He gestured to the photo of his model. “Caelum Lucii. Only one of the biggest up-and-coming actors in all of Eos.” 

“Oh.” Well. That explained the cryptic conversation he’d had with Luna at lunch the other day. 

They’d been sitting together at Organyx when Luna gave him a long, considering look. “ _Prompto_ ,” she’d said carefully, “ _do you know who he is?”_ When he’d said no, she’d just shaken her head and changed the subject. 

It made sense. Luna was an elegant, high-fashion model turned designer. She was part of that celebrity in-group, she’d probably known who Caelum was the moment she’d seen the photograph. They’d _dated_ in high school. 

“I had no idea,” Prompto told his boss. “Is he going to do it, then?” 

“He had some specific restrictions, but yes. He agreed, and signed a contract.” 

“What specifics?” 

“Caelum wants absolute privacy. Only the two of you can be in the room during the shoot – you’ll have to set up the lights and everything before his arrival and adjust on the fly yourself. And he wants final approval of the photos before they go to print. We have to sign non-disclosure agreements, too. Only the images can be released, no information. But you got your model, and I am going to sell a lot of papers.” 

“Right.” He couldn’t help the beaming grin that crossed his face. He had his model. This Caelum whoever. “I’ll make those calls and confirm everything.” 

Vyv waved him off. 

Once Prompto was done on the phone, he sat down with his smartphone to Moogle Caelum Lucii and find out what he’d apparently missed. The Eos Movie Database was all but blank: a small movie credit, an episode of Law  & Order: Meldaccio, and an upcoming TV show in pre-production. Something called ‘ _Ignis_ ’, where he was going to play someone called Noctis. Another Noctis of two thousand characters already named that. 

Giving up on EMDB, he headed to Chocopedia. There was more ingle there – Caelum had graduated from the Insomnia School of Fine Arts, majoring in Acting for Theatre, Film and Television. There was gossip, too – rumours about his apparent bisexuality, his relationship with ‘Supermodel/Fashion Designer’ Miss Luna Freya. 

When he finished the Chocopedia article, he was about to click on the link through to that Ignis show when a phonecall popped up. Organyx? Had he left something behind after lunch with Luna? 

“Hello?” He answered uncertainly. 

“Prompto Argentum?” The voice that answered was cultured and accented and _oh so very familiar_. 

“Uh. No. This is Prompto Leonis.” Who was this Argentum guy? Caelum had called him that the first time they met too, while he was taking photos. 

There was some rustling. “Ah. Yes. My apologies. Prompto Leonis, correct? This is Ignis Coctivus from Organyx. Are you doing well?” 

“Uh. Yeah. I’m good.” Everybody had heard of Ignis Coctivus. He was a five star chef, and was always on TV. Either yelling at lazy professionals, or nurturing the talent of new chefs. 

“I am pleased to hear it.” 

Well. This was intimidating as fuck. He’d known that Organyx had been Coctivus’s restaurant – one of the prizes of an early season of Ifrit’s Kitchen had been the head chef position at Organyx. But he hadn’t realised Coctivus still owned it – or ever checked in. If he was in Insomnia, he was at Orichalcum – his pride and joy. 

“So…uh…how can I help?” Prompto asked uncertainly. 

“The Organyx website is going through a redesign, and I require photography of my best dishes. You come highly recommended by our mutual acquaintance, Lunafreya.” Heh. It sounded odd in his accent. The smooth tones blended her names together until it sounded like one. 

Wait, what had he said? “You… you want me to come take photos of _your_ food?” Luna’s contacts had occasionally got him a few gigs before he’d been hired at Meteor Publications, but only ever small jobs – headshots, and the like. 

Coctivus sounded amused. “Indeed. Tonight, if possible.” 

“Oh. Yeah!” He felt flustered and excited about it. “I knock off at five. I can come after that?” 

“Perfect. I will notify the _maître d_ to expect you. Until this evening then, Prompto.” 

Once the phone call disconnected, Prompto made a startled noise and tossed his phone onto the couch. Had that actually just happened? _Ignis Coctivus_ wanted him to _take photos_ of his _food_ to go on _his website_! He gave his arm a tight pinch and then yelped in pain. Okay. He hadn’t dozed off at work again. 

Well. His own camera wouldn’t do for this. It was _okay_ , but it wasn’t _Coctivus worthy_. He could probably sweet-talk Jeanne into lending him one of the good cameras for the company overnight; if he promised to bring her a can of ‘Ebony’ – one of Coctivus’s public products, a particular blend of coffee that people in the office seemed to _live_ off. 

He had to go and book out the best camera for his Noctis shoot anyway. 

Once he’d suitably buttered up Jeanne, he asked about one of their better cameras to borrow for the evening. When she heard what for, she just shook her head. “Of course. First Caelum, now you’re working with Ignis Coctivus. Lucky. But they say it’s all nepotism, don’t they?” 

Prompto frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean,” she paused and looked at him. “Ohh, right. They don’t let you work for Entertainment and Lifestyle.” She leaned in with her gossipy face. “Rumour has it that Ignis is back in Insomnia because he and Caelum are moving in together. It was about time – they were snapped at all the romantic hotspots in Altissia.” 

He stared at her for a long moment. “Caelum is dating Ignis Coctivus?” 

She laughed and patted his arm. “Duh. Crack open our magazine once in a while, would you?” 

He headed out, feeling numb for some strange reason. He couldn’t be _jealous_ about either of them, obviously. He’d barely met Caelum, and he’d never been face-to-face with Coctivus. 

He must be anxious, he decided. Obviously, this meeting at Organyx was a ruse so Coctivus could yell at him and possibly blacklist him from the industry. Or at least to check if he was shady – a secret paparazzi. 

Either way, he wasn’t getting roped into it. He couldn’t jeopardize his position at Meteor by getting tangled up in the lives and dramas of celebrities. He just wanted to take photos and have enough free time to build his own exhibit at the Argentum Gallery. 

While he was walking down to his lady, he called Organyx and told the _maître d_ he couldn’t come. Better to be safe than famous. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. I am still giggling about the fact I named Iggy Coctivus.


	5. Photoshoot

It was the big day. Photoshoot day. Time to bring Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV to life. He was full of anxious energy – but he used it. There was heaps to do. 

The guest in the Noctis Suite checked out at 10, but he gave the housekeeping an hour just in case it was a mess. 

But from 11, fuelled by anxiety and a can of that _unpleasantly_ strong Ebony, he didn’t stop. Yes, he was micromanaging, but what could they expect? It was his first. 

Hair and make-up went in the stupidly fancy bathroom. They would leave before the shoot began and if Caelum sweated through it, that would be _his_ problem. Some interns helped him set up the lights, and then he had them stand in for a few test shots until he had the lighting _just right_. 

A worker from the museum of fashion came with the suit half an hour before Caelum. Thankfully, it was Iris – Gladio’s sister. She would stay until the shoot, and make any temporary tailoring so it fit Caelum, then she’d come back tonight to collect it. 

At three o’clock, Caelum Lucii arrived – and the hotel room suddenly felt empty as everyone left except wardrobe. Prompto double-checked all his equipment was working as it should as he waited. 

Iris’s voice came out of the bathroom door as it opened. “That’s _uncanny_ ,” she was saying. “I’ve never seen something fit someone so perfectly.” 

He looked over, a greeting on his lips, but it died. Sometimes he just saw a sight that was so perfect it made him feel like he was going to die. 

Once he’d been invited to one of Luna’s shoots. She’d been modelling wedding dresses from her first collection for a bridal magazine and wanted him there to share in her moment. But as soon as he’d seen her in the gown she was modelling, he’d sat down and cried on the floor. She’d come to hold him, not caring as he got tears and snot all over her shoulder. 

Another time, he’d seen Gladio working out at the gym before they’d met. He’d been working as a Personal Trainer at the time, and he’d taken pity on him and taken chubby post-pubescent Prompto under his wing. 

Another time hadn’t been a sight, actually. It had been a taste. Specifically his first mouthful of food the first time Luna had taken him to Organyx. 

This ime, he managed not to turn into a crying mess. He was at work after all. But Noct… 

That was, Caelum. _Caelum_ looked so perfect as he left the bedroom. 

The outfit was the traditional black and gold of the Lucis-Caelum reign, styled after the official King’s Raiments of the era. A pristine black suit fit, perfectly tailored to Caelum’s form – with a gold knee brace/armour thing, and a decorated cloak over his shoulders. 

“…Prompto?” 

He was jolted out of his thoughts by the sound of Iris’s voice. “Right, yeah. We should be finished by six. Come by to pick it up about six thirty?” 

She smiled. “Okay. I’ll bring Gladio up to say hi. You know how much he hates me being alone in town after dark.” 

“Yeah.” He smiled and led her out with the woman from hair and make-up. As soon as the door closed behind them, he was intensely aware that he and Noctis were alone in this hotel room. 

No, Caelum. 

“Alright. Let’s start!” he said in his best professional voice. 

  


Caelum was not a model. It took a while for him to relax. Prompto ended up talking to him like an actor. 

The first time he said: “you’re king Noctis, at home, relaxed and happy,” Caelum gave him a hurt, offended look. But it had quickly cleared up and the rest of the shoot went smoothly. 

For the last shot, he had Noctis take the cloak off while he turned off all the lights. He felt an overwhelming wave of emotion as he snapped shots of Noct’s silhouette against the scarlet and orange sunset. 

“Noct,” he murmured, fighting against a wave of emotion he didn’t let himself think about long enough to identify. “Turn your face to the side so I can get your profile.” 

He snapped photo after photo as the prince turned his face around and looked at him. His eyes were hopeful, and desperate. “Prom?” 

His hands shook and the camera slipped from his hands. He fumbled to catch it before it hit the ground, the camera was worth more than he made in a year. He’d definitely be fired if it broke. 

Once it was safely set down, he felt arms wrap around him. “Prompto, it’s okay. Don’t cry.” And he was crying, he realised – huge noisy sobs that shook his whole frame. 

And Caelum was holding him the whole time until he calmed down. One hand in his hair, the other rubbing circles in his back. He murmured to him, in a bizarre old-fashioned accent, like the ones from the recordings of the Lucis-Caelum kings. 

When he’d calmed down enough, Prompto pulled back to look at him. “I can’t understand what you’re saying, Caelum.” 

An expression flickered across his expression, too quick to understand. But Prompto thought it was something like tortured disappointment. A crazy notion – what would Caelum be disappointed about? 

“Prompto…” 

He was suddenly aware of how close they were. Caelum’s hand still in his hair. They were almost the same height, gods Caelum’s eyes were _so blue_. 

“Caelum…” 

“Yes?” The actor’s voice was low and intense. Intimate. 

“I…” He heard the handle of the door turning and took a sharp step back. “I think we can wrap. I’ve got all the shots I need.” 


	6. Pact

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple people asked for someone else's POView so, here we go!

Ignis stepped through the hotel room door, just in time to catch the far too intimate embrace, and Prompto’s attempt to cover it up. “Perfect timing.” 

Prompto turned to stare at him, something like panic in his eyes. 

“Holy shit,” he whispered, loud enough to hear. “Ignis Coctivus is here.” 

He raised his eyebrows. Coctivus again? “And you’re Prompto Argentum.” 

“Leonis.” It seemed like an instant response, but he made no effort to correct him. 

But it told him everything he needed to know. This wasn’t Prompto Argentum, their old friend. This was still Prompto Leonis. He fixed Noctis with a look and pushed up his spectacles. “You never mentioned you’d met Luna’s friend Prompto.” 

“Didn’t I?” He asked, in that fake-innocent voice. “I’d better change. They’re coming to pick up my suit soon.” 

Oh no, he was not getting away that quickly. He followed him into the bathroom, and immediately took over unbuckling the complicated knee brace from his knee. “Noctis,” he said seriously. 

“Specs, can you just…not?” He asked, sounding exhausted. “I know.” 

“No, we must talk about this,” Ignis insisted. “We had an agreement, Noct. We wouldn’t pursue them until we found both, and they remembered.” 

“He found me!” Noctis hissed, glancing at the door to try and make sure they weren’t being loud enough to overhear. “I wasn’t looking for him. I knew Luna was his friend, and I promised you I wouldn’t go through her to find him. But _he found me_.” 

Ignis set the armour correctly in its carry case and rose to his feet to begin undoing the buttons of Noct’s suit. It may have been a millennium since he had to undress him from this particular style of fashion, but it didn’t mean he forgot such a basic task. “He found Caelum Lucii.” 

“No, Iggy, he-” Noctis cut himself off, frustrated, running a hand through his hair. “He didn’t know who I am, here or then. He just… He just wanted to photograph me,” he sounded weak but so smitten. “He said he was perfect for his legendary King Noctis photoshoot. I thought…” His hands were shaking, eyes beginning to glisten. “I thought he remembered me. Or he was so close to… Ignis, it’s Prompto. My Prompto.” 

“Not _your_ Prompto,” Ignis corrected, feeling a cold reserve taking over his feelings. He knew how difficult it would be for Noctis to wait once he’d found Prompto. But they had a pact – made a promise to one another. “And I?” He asked, feeling how cold his tone was. “Am I to be alone then?” 

“Iggy…” 

He turned away, carefully hanging the suit and returning it to the clothes bag. “There is no stopping you. Don’t think I didn’t see your moment as I entered. You clearly haven’t held me in your thoughts so far, it would be useless to ask you to correct that now.” 

“Ignis.” He allowed himself to be turned, and melted into the soft, sweet kiss Noctis drew him into. “I love you,” he said. “We’ve had so many lifetimes with each other while we waited for them again. “I’m sorry I got out of control. I’ll pull back, I promise. We can wait for them both.” 

He sighed and held Noctis close, closing his eyes. “I won’t ask you to cut him out now you’ve found him, Noctis,” he replied. “But if you could withhold any romantic overtures? At the very least until we can go public with a break up. I doubt Prompto would be happy being the one to instigate your cheating on me.” 

Noctis looked guilty as he pulled away. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Iggy. I just…” 

“I understand, Noct. Now, get dressed. I’ll invite Prompto to have dinner with us both. Would that be sufficient?” 

“…thanks, Ignis. I don’t deserve you.” 

“It’s not a matter of deserving.” 


	7. Gladius

Prompto was left alone and awkward in the main suite. He sat down at the desk and rested his head in his hands for a long moment or two. 

Ignis Coctivus. He’d hoped the guy hadn’t recognised him as the one he’d spoken to on the phone, but at the look he gave after he corrected his last name (just like he had on the phone, damnit) it was obvious he remembered exactly who he was. 

At least he hadn’t caught them in a compromising position. If he’d been a few moments earlier… 

He shook his head and turned the laptop towards him. While he waited for Iris to come, he sorted through the photos. He deleted all the bad ones – slipped angles, unfocussed shots, derp faces. But then he was left with thousands of good ones and no idea how he was supposed to pare them down to four or five for the article. 

Caelum was so beautiful, and he really was _perfect_ for the legendary King Noctis. The camera loved him, and Prompto wasn’t objective to decide which ones to keep. He loved them all. He wasn’t usually this attached to photographs like this. 

The door opened, breaking him from his thoughts. “Hi Prompto!” 

He turned with a smile. “Hi Iris.” He grinned and nodded to Gladio, who looked grumpy about being dragged around on his sister’s errands. 

“Can I see?” She asked, coming over to the desk to look over his shoulder. 

The door opened and out came the couple. “Pardon us, Pardon. But we must-” 

The sudden silence from Coctivus had him glancing back to see him staring at Gladio in complete shock. The other guy was flipping through a book on the bedside table. But in the lingering silence, he glanced up. 

Coctivus quickly composed himself. “My apologies. I didn’t realise there were any other people here.” He offered his hand out, first to Iris – and then towards Gladio. “Ignis.” 

“Yeah. Ignis Coctivus, I’ve seen your shows.” He gave the chef his winning smile. “Gladius Armum. But everyone calls me Gladio.” He took his hand and shook firmly. 

Prompto rolled his eyes. Gladio was such a fuckboy. 

Noctis’s expression was completely unreadable as he handed the suit bag to Iris. “Thank you, Miss Armum.” 

A slight pink blush decorated her cheeks. Prompto felt sorry for her – she was always getting crushes on the worst people. 

“I was going to invite Prompto to partake in a meal at my restaurant. You are both welcome to join us, the invitation extends to you both.” 

Prompto wanted to go, but he knew he shouldn’t. Things had gotten dangerous close between him and Caelum before. If Ignis hadn’t arrived when he did… 

“I shouldn’t,” he said reluctantly. “I have to pack up all this stuff and take it back to the office. Another time, maybe?” 

Caelum frowned at him, looking almost hurt by the rejection. 

But Coctivus was already moving on. “And you, Gladio?” 

“I should get Iris home.” Prompto watched with quiet shock at Gladio’s boldness as he tucked a business card in Coctivus’s waistband. “Another time though. You can make me a _private_ meal.” 

“Oh my god, you dog!” Prompto said, pushing him towards the door. “They’re dating!” 

“Goodbye Caelum!” Iris called, as she followed them out. 


	8. Confession

“Prompto, darling,” Luna said, giving him a serious look. “I love you but if you waste any more of my lunch-hour, I’m going to blacklist you from fashion photography.” 

He shifted. “I’ve suggested a few places...” 

“We _always_ go to Organyx. I don’t see what the problem is!” she said impatiently. 

“I just feel like trying something new.” He mumbled. 

“Prompto Leonis,” she interrupted. “Every time we go out to lunch, you order the daggerquill comatus salad. The only time we _haven’t_ gone to Organyx you complained the whole time that it didn’t taste as good. We haven’t been anywhere else in _months_.” 

“I don’t feed like a comatus salad today. I want a risotto instead, let’s go to Monica’s instead.” 

“You know damn well that I _know_ you don’t eat carbohydrates between nine and six. That’s _why_ you like the comatus salad from Organyx: they don’t have croutons.” 

“Luna...” 

“ _What happened_?” She interrupted, giving him what he dubbed her ‘princess look’. Not some simpering, weak princess who couldn’t button her own socks. An elegant politically-wise princess who ruled her kingdom with iron grace. Princess Luna Freya was _scary_. 

He sighed, knowing when to admit defeat. “I almost slept with Caelum Lucis.” 

“ _What_?” 

He just groaned and rested his head on the table. “I messed up.” 

“Okay,” she said seriously. “I’m ordering UltimaEats bring us Organyx, and you’re going to tell me everything.” 

Somehow she managed to get them to clear the best meeting room for their lunchbreak, though he had no idea how. They sat down with their bowls, and Prompto barely ate – the recount of the photoshoot fell out of his mouth. She listened with all the seriousness she could muster. 

“Luna,” he finished. “I would’ve jumped him. If his _boyfriend_ hadn’t walked through the door right there...” He swallowed anxiously. “I’m getting just as bad as Gladio. Sleeping with whoever catches my eye, no matter if they’re taken or not.” 

She patted his hand. “Prompto,” she said soothingly. “I don’t think you wouldn’t have taken it that far. I know you. If you’d even kissed him, you would’ve had an anxiety attack and demanded he tell Ignis _everything_.” 

“I don’t know,” he mumbled, resting his head on the conference table. “I don’t know if I would’ve stopped myself, Luna. There’s something about him...” He shivered, cheeks heating as he felt himself blush. “There’s just something about him. He’s so....magnetic. Any time he’s close, I can’t think about anything else. I find myself close enough to touch him before I’ve even realised I’ve moved.” 

Her eyes were unreadable – but her expression gentle as she patted his hand. “You’re attracted and he’s charismatic. He’s an _actor_ , of course he knows how to pull your attention. It’s alright, Prompto. Nothing did happen, and if he doesn’t tell Ignis then that’s their problem. Keep your own head, that’s all you can do.” 

He smiled at her. “Thanks Luna. You always tell me what I need to hear.” 

She pushed his salad towards him. “Now eat your salad, Prompto.” She gave him a charming smile. “Now, let’s discuss the menu for my dinner party next Saturday.” 


	9. Waiting

Hammerhead Studios, a couple hours outside Insomnia – the next state over, even – was the hub of all the movies and TV in Lucis. The hot, dry weather of Leide made it ideal for filming almost every day of the year. 

Studio XV, as he found out, was the largest – and currently housing a complete reconstruction of the famous Hammerhead Gas Station. Prompto felt small and intimidated as the golf buggy drove around to the trailers. 

“Who’s this, Wedge?” A stunningly beautiful woman asked, as she stepped down from her trailer in an elegant white evening gown. 

“Some photographer friend of Caelum’s,” the driver replied. “Ready to go, Ms Highwind?” 

She ignored him, and offered her hand to Prompto instead. “Ariadne Highwind.” 

“Prompto Leonis,” he replied, carefully shaking it. “Nice to meet you.” 

She looked over him, almost appraisingly, and nodded. “See you again soon, Prompto Leonis.” And then she alighted the golf buggy and drove away. 

Prompto found the trailer with Caelum’s name printed on the door, and knocked. He waited for a few minutes but there was no reply. He stuck his head in and called for the actor. There was no response, but he spotted his name written on a card on top of the elegant little dining table. It was invitation enough, so he entered to read it. 

_On set. Wait for me. Iggy left food, help yourself._

_\- Caelum_

His handwriting was super old fashioned, but neat and fancy. Was that an actual _ink_ pen? His fingers brushed over the ‘w’ in ‘wait for me’, feeling a strange feeling in his chest. 

_Of course. I’ll wait for you. No matter how long it takes_ . 

Whoa. Where did that come from? It sure _felt_ like something he’d said before, but he couldn’t remember in the slightest. Or what it would even be about. He tucked the note into his vest pocket and lifted the silver lid of the warmer. 

A daggerquill and pepper risotto sat on an elegant plate underneath. The smell drifted up, making his mouth and his eyes water. Noct was so lucky, getting to eat like this all the time. 

But the note had said it was for him, so he didn’t hesitate. Every mouthful was bliss. If Prompto had a thousand years to learn, he still couldn’t cook as well as this. He was too busy shoving food in to _really_ appreciate the taste, and he hated himself for it. But even though he felt bloated and disgusting, he still washed everything in the little kitchenette and left it neatly to be picked up. 

Then he slumped down on the ridiculously comfy couch to wait for Noct and closed his eyes. Just for a moment. 

_He was having one of those Noctis dreams again. One of the young adult times, in some sort of dingy dormitory with bunk-beds. They were naked, entwined beneath a threadbare sheet. His dream self got **way more** action than he did. _

_But it wasn’t the usual content afterglow. There was something sad in the air, something like regret. Noct held him tight, almost bruising fingerprints into his skin. Leaving a mark to prove he was there._

_“Noct, ease up,” he whispered. “Ardyn wasn’t exactly gentle with the confinement, y’know?”_

_“Sorry,” he murmured, but his hands didn’t ease up. “First thing in the morning, I take back the crystal. Then I have to defeat Ardyn. Then rebuild the kingdoms, I promised you I’d tear down the borders.”_

_Prompto felt the soft skin of the King’s cheek under his lips. “Sounds like you’re going to be busy for a long time, being the saviour king and all.”_

_“I will,” Noct said. “And I **want** you by my side.” Prompto felt him lift their hands, gently touching his ring finger between his thumb and forefinger. “But it’ll be a while before I can really have you side. Officially.” _

_His cheeks felt scarlet hot. “Noct, buddy,” he said, “did you just say you wanted to **marry** me?” _

_“One day.” The king sounded so wistful. “I can’t imagine my life without you, Prompto. Now that Luna-”He choked and fell silent, looking so sad for a moment. “Now that I won’t be having that political marriage, I won’t let them make me take another one. I don’t want you to have anyone else. So I’m asking you to wait for me.” Hands tightly squeezed his arms, but this time he didn’t complain._

_“Noct,” he murmured. “Of course. I’ll-”_

“Prompto. Wake up.” 

He opened his eyes, half-asleep. Noct stood above him, in the formal court garb he’d worn when they were still in high school. Weird, they were too old for that. “Noct,” he murmured, and closed his eyes again. 

Noct chuckled. “Don’t you have a deadline?” 

Deadline? He sat up with a jolt, fully awake. “Right! Caelum, sorry. I was dreaming.” He rubbed his eyes. What was he wearing? “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” 

“It’s fine,” Caelum reassured him. “I didn’t expect filming to run so late.” 

Prompto sat up and reached for the portfolio. “You need to approve at least eight of these.” He stood up and crossed to the little dining table to lay them out across the surface. “I think these are my best works. Though the camera _was_ top of the line.” 

Caelum was suddenly close behind him, chest pressing against his back. “They’re beautiful, Prompto.” One finger reached out to touch the edge of the photo of himself looking tired and content on the chaise lounge. “You really captured that accessible royalty thing.” 

Prompto was flustered, both from Caelum practically embracing him from behind, and from the compliments. “You’re just saying that.” 

“I’m serious,” he disagreed. “I’ve had thousands of people try to photograph me at my best. Nobody captures me like you do.” 

Prompto licked his lips nervously. He was about to make a bad decision if this kept up, he never suffered this much temptation for anyone. “So… your approval?” 

“Hm.” Caelum stepped away from him and begun seriously considering them. 

Prompt took that opportunity to calm the fuck down. What was he _doing_? He wasn’t _like this_. Sure, he’d been attracted to people before, but he never lost his head like this. He was always in control with everyone else, why did Caelum Lucii affect him like this? 

Only one was disapproved in the end. One where Caelum thought he looked too old and tired, and he didn’t want prospective producers to think he was getting too ‘mature’ to play the younger roles. 

“The rest,” he said, closing them back into the portfolio, “you may use as you see fit.” 

“Careful who you say that to,” he warned, giving him a tired smile. “Some photographers might take that as a verbal contract and sell these to the highest bidder.” 

Caelum brushed their fingers for too long as he pressed the portfolio into his hands. “I trust you,” he murmured. “You’re a man of your word.” 


	10. Crash

Her name was Sydney Aurum, and she was a living goddess. Look, he wasn’t biased at all.

On his way back from Hammerhead, he’d been distracted by he memory of Caelum’s body against his own. He’d hit a pothole, and both he and his lady ended up in a ditch on the side of the highway. She was significantly more mangled than he was. He’d been thrown off, and landed on his probably-broken arm. 

Sydney had appeared, haloed by the light of her truck’s floodlights, above him. Her accent was strong and absolutely charming. “You okay down there? Do I need to call an ambulance?” 

“No,” he called, getting to his feet. “But my lady is totalled.” 

“Shame. She’s such a purdy girl.” She helped him out of the ditch and onto the side of the road. “Put her on the back of the truck. I’ll take her to Aurum Motors and you can go to the hospital.” 

He may have been half-delirious from his broken arm and crashing adrenaline, but he could still tell she was a goddess. Her father, Cid Aurum, ran the Aurum Motors on the outside of Insomnia – but she was poised to take over soon so he could open a store in Lestallum for his ‘retirement’. 

She knew her stuff, she was gorgeous and bubbly and her accent was so damn sweet. 

By the time they gave him his phone back in the emergency room ( _only moderately cracked_ ), he was out of his head with his crush. And also morphine. 

He opened his messages and replied to the last chat. Nobody messaged him but Luna anyway. 

‘ _Lunaaa A_ ’, he sent, quickly followed by: ‘ _I’m in looove_ ’. 

There was a long pause before he got a response. ‘ **Prompto?** ’ 

‘ _Her name is Syndey Aurum and she is my goddess _’.__

____

‘ **What?** ’ 

__

‘ _She saved my lifeeeee. And she’s going to save my bike too._ ’ There was no reply, Luna had probably given up on his latest crush for the late hour and gone back to sleep. ‘ _I’m in the hospital. But they gave me morphine, so it’s okay~_ ’. 

__

Still no reply. Oh well. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his uncle was gently squeezing his shoulder. “Cor~”

__

“Kid,” he said seriously. “What did I tell you about driving out of town on that bike?” 

__

“I had a deadline.” He sat bolt upright. “Shit. My deadline! Vyv is going to sell my soul to Dino!” 

__

“Relax, Prompto,” Cor said, helping him to his feet. “You can call him in the morning. I’m taking you home now.” 

__

Cor had the best ideas. 

__

  


__

Prompto woke up in his childhood bedroom in pain and regret. Cor had tucked him in and plugged his phone in to charge. Bless his magnificent uncle. He was so good and he didn’t deserve a father figure like him. 

__

He picked up his phone in the hand that wasn’t weighed down by a heavy cast. There was an impatient text from Vyv, with a warning that he’d already assigned him to Dino this week, and a threat he was about to hand the final approval for the Noctis shoot over to him too. 

__

He groaned and dealt with that first. Vyv was much more forgiving when he heard about the accident. Well, he extended the deadline for the Noctis shoot, but he wouldn’t free him from Dino. He’d already handed out the weekly assignments. Prompto promised to come into work and sort the photos as soon as he could. 

__

Next he had a shower, cast hanging out of the curtain, and dressed for the day. He held his cast in a sling, just because it made him look more pitiful to cute girls and more importantly his impatient co-workers. 

__

His uncle was in the kitchen, making eggs and toast. During the meal, he asked: “why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend, kid?” 

__

Prompto blinked at him. “Cause I didn’t know I had one?” He answered uncertainly. “What are you talking about?” 

__

“The kid who called you in a panic last night. Caelum something. He sounded freaked on the phone about your accident.” 

__

He frowned. “ _Huh_?” He gestured to Prompto’s phone, mouth too full of food to answer.

__

Prompto checked his messages. Oh man, he hadn’t been texting Luna at all last night. It was an unknown number. Oh man. 

__

‘ _Sorry_ ’, he typed, ‘ _I was in an accident last night, thought I was messaging my friend Luna. I don’t have your number saved?_ ’ 

__

The reply came after breakfast, when Cor was driving him to work. ‘ **Hello Prompto. This is Ignis, from Caelum Lucii’s phone. He is sleeping at the present time. Your uncle informed us that your injuries were not serious. All the best wishes for your speedy recovery.** ’ 

__

“Oh,” he said aloud. “That was who called.” 

__

“Hm?” 

__

“Uh. An actor who modelled for me. I was coming back from a meeting with him when I went off the road. He must’ve felt guilty.” 

__

Cor gave him _a look_ , but didn’t say anything as he parked outside the Meteor Building. “Call me when you need to be picked up. Don’t waste any money on Ultima.” He made Prompto promise he wouldn’t, then drove away. 

__

He got the final pics to Vyv, who felt sorry enough for him to compliment the photos before sending him off to Dino’s desk. He had to get directions, he’d never been in the Entertainment and Lifestyle section before. He _so_ didn’t want to, but it was his job. There was only more regret as he stepped into his office and saw paparazzi shots of Caelum Lucii all over his multiple screens. 

__

“There’s my photo jockey!” Dino greeted, in that grating Galdin accent. “Say, you’re pals with Lucii, ain’t ya? Got any idea what caused this?” 

__

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

__

“You’re kidding. Only Caelum Lucii walking off the set of Ignis and driving straight into his fiancé’s arms.” 

__

Prompto tensed up. “His fiancé?” 

__

“Whaddya, live under a box? Ignis Coctivus! Tell me you’ve heard of him at least!” 

__

“Yeah,” Prompto said weakly. Shit. They were engaged. He felt sick with guilt, remembering how close he’d been to temptation last night. “Look, can we just talk about the assignment? My arm is killing me” 

__

Dino rolled his eyes and told him what they’d be doing. All the red carpet events and pap shots were collected, but over the next week, Dino would be dragging him all over the city to photograph similar retail pieces at jewellery outlets of all the various designers they belonged to. Astrals, this guy was _obsessed_ with jewellery. 

__

He had Dino invite him to the calendar, and then retreated back to the photographer’s hub. He started unpinning his Noctis mood board, adding most of it to the recycling bin. But he kept is shot of Caelum at the fisihing spot. That, he tucked in his personal portfolio. It was a good photo! Nothing weird. 

__

When he had nothing better to do, his guilt got the better of him. He opened up Meteor’s Entertainment Insomnia sub-zine and found the latest article about Caelum and Ignis. He did his best to ignore the shots of the two of them captured around the city, looking cozy and intimate, and read the article. 

__

All speculation, but Caelum had been quoted in an interview stating that he’d ‘ _finally found the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with._ ’. Prompto wanted to die. He blamed the tears on his broken arm, and Vyv sent him home early. 

__

Cor picked him up, and didn’t say anything. But he did watch Prompto in quiet, sad concern as the blond walked straight into his childhood bedroom and curled up on the bed to sleep.

__


	11. Dinner Party

“She ain’t in very good condition,” Sydney explained, as he circled his disassembled lady. “If I’m honest, it’ll cost less to buy a new model than it would to fix.” 

Prompto’s eyes stung, throat tight as he reached out to touch the scratched and scuffed black casing with his good hand. “But she’s my lady. I can’t just replace her.” He sighed and bowed his head. “How much do I owe you for pick up and the check?” 

“Actually,” she said carefully. “I’ll buy it for scrap and call it even. I can scavenge some good parts for it with a bit of tinkering.” 

He cringed a little. He couldn’t bear the thought of her being chopped up and sold for parts. But he couldn’t have her melted down either. There was no way he could ever afford to have her restored, so that wasn’t even close to an option. He sighed. “Yeah. Take her for salvage.” This just wasn’t his week. 

“I’m sorry,” Sydney said. “Why don’t I make it up to you? Let me take you out to dinner.” 

He froze, looking up at her. “Like a date?” That wasn’t meant to come out as strangled as it did. Gods, he was so embarrassing. 

She giggled slightly. “Yeah. A date.” 

“Oh…” He trailed off. “Um.” He didn’t know what to do here. This sort of thing just didn’t happen to him. 

“What’s wrong?” She asked, concerned. “I thought you liked me.” 

“No, I do!” he said hurriedly. “I just… I’ve never really been in this situation before.” 

“This situation?” She echoed. 

“The, uh, the whole thing where someone I’m interested in returning that interest…”

She giggled a little at that. “Now I don’t believe that. You’re a catch. So…?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said quietly. “I’m not in a very good place right now. It wouldn’t be fair for either of us.” 

Her pretty face pulled into a gentle, concerned look. “I’m sorry. If there’s anything I can do to help…”

He lifted his head. “Actually…”

  


Luna opened the door with a delighted smile. “Prompto!” She was dressed in one of her designer gowns, and looked gorgeous. She paused as she saw Sydney beside him, but recovered quickly. “You must be Cindy Aurum,” she greeted, kissing the air beside her cheek. 

“Sydney,” Prompto corrected absently. “We’re not running late, are we? It’s hard to do semi-formal with an arm cast.” 

“Only a few minutes,” She reassured him. “I’ve just laid out the voul-a-vents.” She hung up their coats, and led them both to the dining room. 

It wasn’t a surprise to see Caelum Lucii and Ignis Coctivus at the dining table – he’d already guessed Luna had invited them as a sort of ploy. Probably so she could take him back to Organyx for their lunch dates. But it hit him so forcefully as he saw Caelum. The actor looked up as Prompto entered – and a beautiful smile crossed his face. He was so gorgeous and Prompto’s heart raced just seeing it. 

He was distracted, thankfully, as Sydney touched his arm. “Where are we sitting?” 

When Prompto glanced back, Caelum’s expression was completely shuttered. 

All night, Prompto kept Sydney between him and Caelum. He was not taking any chances with temptation now. After dinner, they headed into the sitting room for cocktails – not that he could have any on his pain meds. Sydney was a gift. She stayed on his arm, and slipped into conversation with everyone easily. If this was a real date, they’d be going swimmingly. 

She was chatting to one of Luna’s car racing buddies about engine mods, so he kissed her cheek and headed off to the bathroom. After he was finished, he watched himself in the bathroom mirror. 

His face looked tired – and his cheeks had that puffy, fat look to them. He turned to side to check out his profile and cringed. His chest and stomach were looking a little paunchy again. 

He shot off a text to Gladio, requesting a P.T. session as soon as he could, factoring in things he couldn’t do with his broken arm. He needed to work off Luna’s exquisite but high-calorie food. It was no wonder a health food guru like Coctivus ended up with men like Caelum and he stayed alone and unwanted. 

Maybe he should get a cat. 

He fixed his hair and stepped out of the room. He barely had time to close the bathroom door before Caelum was in his pace, a hand softly touching his casted arm. “Prompto.” 

“Caelum,” he whispered over his racing pulse. “I…”

“Did you bring her here to make me jealous?” The actor whispered, stepping them deeper into the shadow, half-hidden behind the heavy draped curtains. 

“No,” he answered. “I asked her here to keep me away from you.” 

“Why?” Caelum asked, his breath ghosting across Promtpo’s lips, making them tingle. 

“I can’t resist you, Caelum Lucii.” 

“I don’t _want_ you to.” He pressed closer, the space disappearing between their lips. 

“Prompto!” Sydney’s voice drifted down the hall. “You still in the john?” 

He tensed and stepped back from Caelum. “That was too close.” He cleared his throat and called: “I’m coming.” 

“Prompto, please,” Caelum said, his voice hushed. “We need to talk.” 

“No we don’t,” he murmured, and stepped out of the curtains. “I heard about you and Ignis. Congratulations.” 

“Congra… Prompto, what…?”

He stepped away, cutting him off, and headed back to Sydney with a smile. “You were just in time. Thank you.” 

She patted his arm. “I didn’t notice him slip away. His beau was the one who mentioned he’d disappeared.” 

“His fiancé,” Prompto corrected. “Are you ready to go? I should say goodnight to Luna.” 

“Alright hun. I’ll get our coats.” 

He headed into the kitchen, and helped Luna stack the dishwasher. “Thanks for dinner, Lulu.” 

She gave him a tired look. “Don’t Lulu me, Prompto,” she scolded, with _fond_ exasperation. “You need to tell me when you’re brining a plus one. That lobster was supposed to be served on the tail.” 

“Sorry. I needed a buffer.” He kissed her cheek. “We’re heading out for the night. We’ll have lunch this week, when Diamond Dino isn’t dragging me around to every designer in the city.” 

She smiled and patted his good arm. “Organyx this time? I hope tonight cleared the air.” He knew it. 

He smiled. “Alright. Organyx. Ask Coctivus to save us the usual table.”


	12. The Armum Heir

Gladio liked this pub. It was popular, but discrete. The curtained sections were the favourite of both high-profile clientele, and people wanting some privacy. He happened to be both. 

Once the giggling socialite had taken her Promptagram selfie and the half-full bottle of Dom, he was left alone in the curtained area. It was only a moment before the loneliness set in. There was always the aching void that was just out of reach, waiting to grab him. 

But luckily there was always someone willing to spend time with the Armum Heir – for a night, at least. And when he was sick of being used, there was always Prompto. How did a photographer never pick up the Lifestyle/Entertainment Section? Prompto still thought he was a just Personal Trainer. Sure, he was a qualified PT, but his family owned the gyms the two of them frequented. 

The empty ache clawing at hi chest, he leaned over and slightly parted the heavy, muffling drapes to the section next door so he could invite them to join him. It was technically a faux-pas, but nobody really complained when they saw who was asking. It was getting late, he would have to find someone to go home with soon. 

The people next door were just settling into their seats. “Specs, I don’t want to be here. I just want to go home and sleep.” 

“You promised to make an appearance, Noct. Next time, don’t become a celebrity.” Wait. Gladio knew that voice. He peaked through the gap he’d made. 

That was Ignis Coctivus. The charming, vocal celebrity chef – who’d never called him. He couldn’t see who he was talking to. But he could guess. 

“Things are a mess,” Caelum Lucii, heart-throb actor, complained. “Fucking Dino. He thinks we’re engaged now.” 

Coctivus looked tired, and frustrated. “It’s up to you,” he said quietly. “I can clear the matter up – but it’ll be over between us, officially. Are you ready for that?” 

Gladio let the drapes fall closed. He couldn’t get Coctivus’s expression out of his mind. So tired, resigned, defeated. Caelum Lucii, what an asshole. 

He didn’t hang out much longer after that. His mood had been totally ruined. He’d hit another club, go home with someone there. 

  


He was down a back street, idly watching a sleek black sports car until it swerved into a violent U-turn and screeched onto the footpath in front of him. It was too expensive for paparazzi, but he’d loved and left a lot of people that could afford it. 

The tinted window sunk smoothly into the door. Whoever he expected, Ignis Coctivus was not it. “Gladius Armum.” 

“Coctivus,” he greeted, surprised. “You never called me.” Why had he said that, instead of complaining about nearly getting run over? 

One delicate hand, encased in a supple driving glove, reached up to push designer glasses back into place. He looked at him seriously. “Gladio,” he said, his voice deep and intimate. “Run away with me.” 

Gladio blinked. “What?” 

“I’m obliged to visit my restaurant in Galdin Quay,” he clarified. “Come away with me.” 

Oh. He’d said _come_ away with me, not run. Gladio let a smirk play over his features. “A proposal like that? Someone might get the idea.” 

Coctivus looked at him, expression seriously but eyes burning with intensity. “Or someone will get the _right_ idea.” 

  


Gladius enjoyed sex. The giving and taking of pleasure, the race to finish your partner before you finished first. Hot, click bodies – male, female, and everything else – sharing a dance older than time itself. He enjoyed sex, and he was good at it. 

But Ignis Coctivus? Ignis was the best he’d ever had. 

Gladio was proud of his body, and put a lot of time maintaining it to his perfect standards. Still, when it came time to remove the last layer, it wasn’t his favourite moment. Typically, it only went one of two ways: his lover was intimidated by his size, or uncomfortably eager for it. But Ignis? Ignis hadn’t reacted in those ways at all. Yeah, he was turned on, but it wasn’t salivating worship. 

And actually in bed? Ignis was _flexible_ , and skilled. Sure, at first he’d been out of practice, but he’d caught up quickly. They were perfectly matched. As good as he gave, Ignis took and gave back with equal fervour. 

In the first afterglow, Ignis stretched next to him on the sheets with a pleased groan. “I needed that,” he said, reaching for his glasses where he’d tossed them aside when they’d been clashed during the frantic foreplay. 

“Mm?” Gladio asked, brain still mostly mush. Ignis’s fingers traced the outlines of his tattoo. “Lucii doesn’t give you a proper seeing to?” 

Ignis hummed lazily. His coiffed hair had lost its pompadour style, flopping over his face. He looked young, and for a moment Gladio remembered they were the same age. “He rather prefers being tended to,” he answered idly. “So yes, it’s been some time since someone took me hard and eager.” 

Gladio smirked, cupping his hands over warm flesh. “Let’s make up for lost time, then. Shall we?” 

  


Eventually – though far later than he was used to – they were simply too tired to keep going. Exhausted, Ignis curled up by his side and yawned. “I have a meeting in the morning, but you can sleep in. I’ll make breakfast when I get back.” 

Gladio chuckled. “I might even let you finish cooking this time.” 

Ignis smiled, but didn’t reply. Within moments he was asleep. 

Gladio settled in to sleep beside him, a smile on his face. He was just on the edge of dropping off when it hit him: he was comfortable here. That part of him that was always restless, always unsatisfied, ready to escape as soon as the sex was done. It was silent for the first time he could remember. 

And that terrified him. 

He knew how to deal with that. He didn’t know how to deal with _wanting to stay_. With wanting to wake someone up in the morning with pleasure and call them during the day to check when they would be home. But he could see that with Ignis. He could _feel that_.

He needed to get out. He sat up, reaching for his jeans. Ignis stirred as soon as he stood up off the bed. “Gladio?” He raised up on one elbow, looking at him through sleepy eyes. “Everything alright?” 

He couldn’t deal with how his heart warmed at that moment. He tugged on his leather jacket over his bare chest. “I left my phone in your car. I’ll be back in a minute.” 

“Mm.” Ignis closed his eyes and settled back down to sleep. 

_Get back into bed,_ he thought. _Don’t be a fucking coward. Just lie down with him and sleep. Face this like a goddamn man._

He stepped out of the hotel room, onto the beach. He needed a drink. He couldn’t face this stone cold sober. He headed to the bar and signalled for a beer. 

He didn’t do relationships. Since the first girlfriend he’d had in high school used him to get funding for her parent’s business venture from his dad, he’d accepted that was what he’d get. Moments with every babe he wanted to set his eyes on, but nothing permanent. Narcissists, play boys, socialites climbing the ladder to stardom, celebrities needing a publicity boost, star struck commoners who just wanted to have a night with him to tell their friends about. They used him and he played them all. 

It was all he knew. 

So what the fuck was this now? Ignis hadn’t been public about jetsetting him to the five star beach resort, had used his own personal suite so they didn’t have a name on file. Closed the curtains for privacy, even cooked their dinner – or at least attempted to before Gladio had jumped him – so they wouldn’t be spotted at the restaurant together. 

Coctivus was a household name, even people who had no interest in the world of celebrities had heard of him. He couldn’t need a publicity boost. He wouldn’t want word getting out, the papers had just published rumours of their engagement. Sure, it was over by the sound of it, but still. And if it was purely sex, why was he offering him breakfast? 

Was this… real? 

“Well, isn’t this my lucky day?” Oh, Astrals. That accent. Gladio glared as Dino Gemmae slid onto the bar stool next to him. “First, Ignis Coctivus offers me an exclusive and now I catch the Armum Heir on another walk of shame.” He stuck a phone under Gladio’s face, already recording. “Got anything to say, Gladius?” 

He put down his bottle, a cold sort of calm going over him. So, Ignis had used him. Promised the city’s biggest gossip an exclusive and then fucking him to make the headlines? Well, that was one way to break up with your fiancé. 

Gladio smirked. Ignis wanted their affair to be news? Fine. “You want an exclusive?" He took the phone. ”Listen up.”


	13. Interview

Luna forwarded him the article. It was what Promtpo woke up to. He started out curled in his sheets, squinting through one eye at the screen – and finished with his phone clutched in his casted hand as he pulled his clothes on. He ‘borrowed’ his uncle’s car, and drove immediately out of the city. 

Caelum Lucii would be filming today, but whether he’d seen the article or not, Prompto wanted to be there for him. He didn’t care if he was supposed to be at work in twenty minutes, or that his arm was killing him because he’d forgotten his morning painkillers. 

His phone was buzzing, but it wasn’t Caelum so he didn’t bother answering. Eventually he reached Hammerhead Studios, but as he pulled up the security gate, he realised it might be an issue getting in. He rolled down the window – meeting the bored gaze of the security guard. “Prompto Leonis, Studio XV.” 

She eyed him suspiciously and then flipped through a clipboard. His anxiety climbed the longer he waited, but eventually she grunted. “You’re early.” She buzzed him in and directed him where to park. 

_Early?_ Maybe she’d misheard his name. Without questioning it, he gave her a smile and drove towards the parking lot. He parked up and waited for Biggs to come by with the golf cart. 

“You’re early,” the driver said as he pulled away from the car park. 

There it was again. “I was hoping to talk to Caelum,” he admitted. 

Biggs didn’t seem phased by that. “You’ll have time. I’ll take you to the trailers to wait.” 

What was he supposed to be here for? The security guard might have confused him with someone else, but he doubted the driver would’ve. He waved him off and headed up the stairs to Caelum’s trailer. There was no answer inside, but he let himself in to wait – Caelum wouldn’t mind. Hopefully. He sat down on the comfortably couch and took out his phone to keep himself occupied.

It wasn’t long before the door opened – and he perked up. But his stomach froze as he watched. The door was half-open, Caelum’s hand on the handle. But he was pressed against the door frame, locked in a passionate kiss with Ariadne Highwind. His phone still in hand, one press away from checking his voicemail, he opened the camera function. Cold spread through his chest as he snapped a photo. He wouldn’t _show_ anyone, but he needed this proof for himself. 

_So you’ll never be such an idiot again._ Gods, he’d actually thought Noct might have been attracted to him! The actor was drop dead gorgeous, and surrounded by similarly beautiful celebs like Ignis Coctivus and Ariadne Highwind and Luna Freya. Why did he think Noct would even _look_ in his direction. 

_Well,_ he thought bitterly, _he’s not that torn up about Iggy cheating on him._

The door closed again, and he heard their footsteps cross over to Ariadne’s trailer. He waited until he heard them close the door and got to his feet. He headed to the door, feeling like he wasn’t really there. 

Biggs was parking up when he stepped onto the tarmac. “Ready? They can fit you in now.” 

“Yeah.” 

He floated through the meeting – the director was waving around a copy of the latest Meteor, raving about his King Noctis photoshoot. Right, he’d forgotten that was going to print today. They loved the shoot, and they wanted him to do the series promotional shots. 

Prompto just wanted this to be over with. He told the producer and the director they could use one of the extra shots of Caelum from the shoot, and they could arrange the Noctis Suite be replicated at the studio for the rest of the shots and to call him next week. 

Finally, he could leave. As he climbed into Uncle Cor’s car, his phone buzzed insistently. It was Vyv – right. He was probably in trouble for skipping out of work. “Hello.” 

“Prompto!” his boss greeted eagerly. “Did you make it to Hammerhead for the meeting?” 

Oh. Not in trouble then. “Yeah. Just got out of it. I’ll head back to Insomnia now…”

“Actually,” Vyv interrupted. “I need you in Galdin Quay. Dino was supposed to get an exclusive from Ignis Coctivus this morning, but Coctivus is refusing to work with him.” 

“After his article last night? I’m not surprised.” Prompto knew his friend Gladio was a fuckboi, but he’d never expected him to sell out one of his lovers in a cheap article. 

“Well. Coctivus is refusing to work with anyone else but you. Don’t worry, he has an approved question list.” 

“Me?” Why _him_? What did he do?! 

“Uh-huh. Head out as soon as you can. I’ll forward you the questions.” 

After he hung up from Vyv, he sent Cor a text to explain he’d taken the car and where he was going, then pulled out of the studio lot. 

It was a long drive to Galdin Quay – far longer than he ever travelled, let alone in a kind of vehicle he rarely used. He was a little shaky by the time he reached the coastal resort. The location was stunning, but he didn’t even take out his phone to snap a few pics. 

He headed straight to the reception desk and asked where he was supposed to go. The concierge led him to a yacht, where Ignis was just laying out bowls for a late afternoon lunch. 

“Prompto,” he greeted. “Thank you for coming. I’ve prepared a ramen noodle for us both.” 

He didn’t check his watch. He knew it was too early to eat carbs, but he certainly wasn’t going to give that away. “Thank you.” He sat down, giving him a confused look. “Mr Coctivus,” he began awkwardly. 

The chef cringed a little. “Call me Ignis.” 

“R-right. Ignis.” He picked up his fork. “I’m not a journalist. I’m just a photographer. Why did you ask me to interview you?” 

“Because I trust you, Prompto,” he answered, settling neat little chopsticks into his fingers with the ease of long practice. “And I know you won’t sensationalize anything." 

“I’ve never interviewed anyone before,” he mumbled. He’d done the models, but mostly that had been the rest of the panel. 

“We’ll eat and then we can get to the interview. Shall we?” 

Prompto ate, out of politeness really. His mouth tasted like ash. After, he felt bloated and gross but he didn’t say anything. He just wanted to get home and crawl into bed. 

For the interview, they settled down in the luxurious paneled cabin. Prompto set up his phone to record a video and sat down across from him, out of shot. 

Most of the interview was about his upcoming year and what was planned. He had a new season of Infernan’s Kitchen, and an upcoming spot as a judge for My Kitchen Champion. He was releasing a new cookbook, and revamping his Insomnian restaurants. 

But then, there came the personal question. Prompto’s list suggested he ask about him and Caelum. 

“Caelum and I have reached different points in our lives. We had a very amicable parting some weeks ago – and I believe he is already interested in another person.” He gave his interviewer a significant look. 

Prompto felt sick. All this time, while Prompto had been driving himself crazy with his hormones, Caelum had been courting Ariadne. He skipped the remaining question, wound up the interview, and began to pack up. 

“Prompto,” Ignis said calmly. “If you could do me a small favour?” 

_Please don’t be something about Caelum. I can’t face that right now._ “Uh. Yeah. I guess?” 

“Next time you speak with your friend Gladius, tell him that I expect my car back or I shall have to involve the authorities.”


	14. Nominee

“Can’t you just go?” Prompto asked, flipping through stacks of photographs. 

“No,” Vyv said disapprovingly, shifting the layout of the editorial mock-up. “It’s not an award for the magazine. It’s _you_ who’s nominated.” 

He sigghed. “This one,” he told Vyv, handing over the best photograph. “But an awards night? I don’t even own a suit.” 

“You’re best friends with _Luna Freya_. Just ask if she knows someone who can lend you a suit for a night.” 

He sighed. But it gave him an opportunity to get out of the office for a little while, so he went. Any opportunity to avoid Dino was a good one. 

He took an Ultima to Luna’s uptown apartment. She lived and worked on the top few floors of the Fenestala Towers – one of the elite skyscrapers in the city. 

But it wasn’t Luna who opened the door. It was her giant, intimidating, stunningly beautiful brother – Ravus Freya. He gave Prompto a bored look as he opened the door wider to let him in. “Argentum.” 

“Leonis,” he corrected automatically. 

Ravus looked unimpressed as he closed the door again behind him. “Don’t you _remember_ yet?” He asked impatiently. But without waiting for an answer, he continued: “Lunafreya is fitting a client, but you’re welcome to go through to the studio.” And then he disappeared through one of the curtained doorways. 

Well. Ravus always was a weirdo. 

He headed through to Lunas studio, calling out a greeting as he stepped in. 

She appeared, sticking her head around a heavy white linen drape. The light fell on her perfectly. Her hair, though he was sure she’d just skewered it to get it up out of the way, fell as if every hair had been sculpted there by the Astrals. A few whisps of hair framing her beautiful face, artfully emphasized by natural-looking make-up. Most was twisted up and held in place by a pencil, but one gentle lock had escaped at the nape of her neck – just curling at the low back of her simple, elegant white outfit. 

“Luna, goddess, dearest perfection—”

Her giggling interrupted his rant. “There’s a camera on the work table. You can snap if you like, but I’ll be working.” 

He gleefully took up the camera and went to work creating art. Luna was the best – she didn’t even care when he crouched beside her to take of her beautiful face as she pinned a hem. 

For all the notice he took, he could’ve been working on a mannequin. But as he got to his feet, looking through the lens, suddenly a dreaded face appeared in the view. 

Ariadne Highwind was smirking at him, amused. He faltered and lowered the camera. “Oh. You’re doing a fitting.” 

Ariadne laughed at him. 

“Don’t mind him,” Luna said idly. “You know what artists can be like.” 

“Uh-huh.” Ariadne said, looking at him indulgently. “I’m not used to being furniture. Usually it’s me they’re trying to photograph.” 

Luna shooed him away to get to the other side of the dress and fled to her laptop to upload the S.D. card and save all his best shots to a thumbdrive. 

Ariadne Highwind. Caelum Lucii’s girlfriend. He’d been trying to ignore their existence, ever since every gossip magazine seemed to explode with news of their ‘whirlwind on-set romance’. He hadn’t expected to see her again. 

“They’re very good.” 

“It’s Luna,” he deflected automatically, “she’s a perfect subject. The camera loves her.” Oh heck. He hadn’t even noticed it was Ariadne. He turned to face her with an apologetic smile. “Sorry.” 

She was dressed in her own clothes now, something tight and black and revealing way too much cleavage. But she wasn’t looking at him, she was focused on the image of Luna on the screen. 

“Um. I’m Prompto Leonis.” 

“Why haven’t I heard of you before, Prompto Leonis? You should’ve taken the art world by storm.” 

_Wow._ Awkward. They’d _met_ before. “Uh. I’m not that good. I just work for a magazine…”

She hummed. Tucking a card into his hand, she gave him a seductive look. “Well. If you change your mind about that – some paparazzi shots with me will put you on _everyone_ ’s radar.” She winked at him and stepped away. “Goodbye, Luna dear. Kwek me soon!” 

He gaped after her until Luna reappeared. “Prompto?” 

He shook his head rapidly. “Huh? Sorry. I just… did she just hit on me? She’s Noct’s _girlfriend_!”

Luna watched him in amusement. “Prompto, dear, Ariadne and Caelum Lucii are so six months ago. She’s had…three new partners since then.” 

“ _Huh_?”

She patted his arm. “The glitz of fame. Ariadne gets paid by how recognisable she is, like all celebrities. Her never-ending list of boyfriends is just how she keeps her name in everyone’s mind. Most of them are arranged by her agent purely for publicity.” 

Prompto squirmed, not liking the weird fluttering feeling the news put in his stomach. 

“But you didn’t come here to photograph me at work. What can I do for you?” 

He shook his thoughts off. “Right. Uh. I’m nominated for an award or something?” 

She looked bursting with pride. “The Silver Journalism Awards, of course! Oh, congratulation Prompto.” 

He smiled slightly, happy to have her proud of him. “Thanks. I won’t win it, I’m sure. But it’s cool to be nominated.” He leaned on one hand and gave her a pleading look. “Come with me and bring a few friends? I’m supposed to fill a table of six, but Cor is out of town. I have you and Gladio and maybe Sydney, if she’s free.” 

She kissed his cheek. “Of course, darling. Now, let me measure you up for a suit. You’re not wearing anyone else but a custom Luna Freya as you win your first award.”


	15. Prize

“Are you ready for this?” Luna asked, giving him a reassuring smile. 

Prompto took a deep breath and nodded, hand clenched tightly on the door handle. “It’s now or never.” 

On the other side of Luna, Sydney chuckled. “Shucks, Prompto. It ain’t like you’re going to your execution. What have you got to worry about but some ornery paparazzi.” 

He swallowed. He hadn’t even thought about the photographers. He was showing up with _Luna Freya_. 

He didn’t get a chance to hesitate any longer. A valet appeared, umbrella in hand, and opened the door Prompto had been hesitating on. Cameras turned towards the car, eager for a new arrival. He checked his new hairstyle nervously and climbed out of the car. He thought it was cool but Sydney had giggled at it and said he looked like a chocobo butt. How could he be confident when he looked laughable? 

A few paparazzi snapped a photo or two, uninterested in this new arrival – thanks the gods. He turned to hand Luna out of the car. She was wearing one of her gorgeous gowns, white silk that wrapped around her body and gave her a womanly but elegant appearance. She let the valet take her up to the black carpet, posing for a few photographs while she waited for Prompto and Sydney to catch up. 

Sydney was wearing one of her own dresses – a golden number that dipped low down her chest and had a long slit up the side. She was clean of oil smudges today, but her hair was still its delightful mess of curls – though she’d spent two hours setting it in the mirror so obviously it was styled that way on purpose. 

At least arriving with such gorgeous women would take attention from him. Though he did end up in a few shots as Luna took his arm and the three of them walked in together, arms linked. Inside it was quieter at least. People were gathered around, chatting in small groups, milling between the tables. He murmured his name to the usher who was a little lost in Sydney’s….eyes. He hurried to show them to a table somewhere off to the side in the middle of the room. At least it wasn’t right at the back, he guessed. 

Gladio was already there, dressed in an expensive-looking suit that fitted perfectly to his muscular body almost as if it had been tailored. Well… maybe Iris had tailored it for him, she was particular about suits. He was sitting backwards on his chair, flirting with a woman in a pantsuit in the table in front of them. 

But as he glanced back and saw Sydney, his attention was absolutely riveted. The pantsuit woman looked more than a little relieved at his attention being directed elsewhere. He stood up instantly to pull out a seat for her – the one next to him obviously. Prompto gave him a disapproving look as he pulled Luna’s seat out for her – on the other side of Sydney. Gladio ignored it, the dog. 

He’d just tucked Luna’s seat in when he heard a glass breaking behind him. He glanced around, just in time to hear his own name escaping someone’s lips in a breathless whisper. 

Caelum Lucii was standing behind them, obviously approaching the table with Coctivus, drinks in hand – but the drinks had slipped out of his hand and smashed on the ground. An usher was immediately in between them, bending low to clean up the glass and liquid quickly. But Prompto was only peripherally aware of it. 

He was lost, staring at Caelum. They hadn’t seen each other in months – since Luna’s dinner party, actually. He’d forgotten how painfully beautiful the actor was, how every fibre of his being felt magnetically drawn to him as soon as he was near. 

He was wearing a gorgeous dark suit with grey pinstripes, a striped tie at his neck. He looked unbearably handsome, it was almost _sad_ looking at him. But Caelum’s blue, blue eyes were studying him just as intently. 

He suddenly felt overwhelmingly self-conscious. Luna’s suit was spectacular, and she’d fitted it to him with expert exactness. But he couldn’t help but feel ridiculous in it – like a kid dressing up in his dad’s wedding suit to play dress-up. It was black, unusual for Luna’s usual style, almost military in style, with gold embellishments up the chest. Caelum’s eyes lingered on his hair and Prompto reached up to give the fringe a nervous tug. 

“Hi…” he managed out weakly. 

“Hi,” Caelum returned, his voice low and husky. 

An elbow in his thigh from Luna had reality crashing back down as he jolted in surprise. Right. They were in a very crowded room, with friends just there. Face burning scarlet, Prompto cleared his throat and hurried to take his seat next to Luna. “Thanks for coming,” he said, voice sounding uncomfortably loud as he included everyone in the comment. 

He could feel it down to his very _bones_ as Caelum pulled out the seat next to him and sat down. The electricity in the inches between them could power Lestallum in a fucking apocalypse, he swore. But instead of that, he focused on a very different kind of tension building as Coctivus slid smoothly into the seat beside Gladio. 

Right. The article. The car theft. The arrest. The dropped charges. That whole thing. “Awkwaaaaard,” Prompto whispered under his breath. 

Caelum’s low chuckle in response had an almost erotic spark of electricity shooting down his spine and out to his curling toes. _Oh gods. Help me._

No gods. But a drinks waiter – apparently they’d decided against letting their table smash any more glasses tonight. “Whiskey,” he requested, “with ice.” 

Luna and Gladio shot him surprised looks. “Nervous?” She asked, touching his hand. 

“Yeah,” he said, hating how husky his voice sounded. Although not for the reason she would be guessing. How could he even think about an award right now? 

Prompto could _feel_ Caelum’s eyes zeroing in on their touching hands. “I’ll have the same," he said, his voice somewhat guarded. 

Gladio and Sydney opted for whiskey too – but Luna ordered a glass of champagne and Coctivus ordered a very specific year and brand of pinot gris. They got through dinner and the first round of awards this way – Gladio talking to everyone at the table other than Ignis, giving the awkward air between them new life every moment – but mostly flirting with Sydney. Luna and Ignis spoke wine and food, which Prompto and Caelum joined in on. 

He and Caeleum never actually spoke to _each other_ , but Prompto hung on to every word he spoke as If it were a lifeline and he could feel Caelum’s eyes like electricity on his skin every time _he_ spoke too. He was sure he was going to straight up die before the night was over. 

But then his award came up. The smart-looking woman on the stage began the announcement. She mentioned his name – was he the first nominee? – and his breath caught in his throat. Under the table, he felt Caelum’s hand close around his, fingers locking together. “Our audience choice’s nomination for outstanding photography,” she continued, “with an overwhelming number of votes. Once again, Prompto Leonis!” An image of Caelum from the King Noctis photoshoot appeared on the screens above her.

Wait. What. Who were the other nominations? He’d _won,/em >? The spotlight whirled around to face his stunned face, and his table laughed and applauded and Caelum’s hand at his lower back pushed him to his feet. _

__

He collected the award, smiled half-stunned at the camera snapping away, and then made his way back down the stairs, Of course then he tripped and his face was bright red as he hurried back to his table. Gladio slapped him in the back – he received a kiss on the cheek from Luna and Sydney. Ignis shook his hand with a proud, almost fatherly smile, and Caelum…

__

Caelum’s hand closed around his, and as his skin burned, the actor pulled him close and wrapped the other arm around his waist in a tight hug. _Oh gods._ Prompto melted into him like butter in the microwave, chin resting on the slender shoulders. He couldn’t help the quiet noise of contentment that escaped his throat. 

__

The awards moved on, they took their seats. Gladio got too deep in his cups and started making fun of Ignis’s accent – while the chef did his best to ignore the mocking. But Prompto hardly noticed – the only thing he could keep his attention on was Noctis holding his hand under the table. As if he never wanted to let go again.

__


	16. The Morning After

Prompto pretended to be asleep as he heard Caelum moving about the hotel room, collecting the bits and pieces of his clothing and belongings before quietly leaving the apartment. Once the door was closed, he turned over to look up at the ceiling. 

_Stop,_ he thought weakly towards the leaving figure. _Don’t go._

But Caelum was gone. Prompto continued to stare at the ceiling for a long time, remembering the last night. 

Luna had taken Sydney home, and without a word Prompto had followed the actor to his limo. They hadn’t spoken much, only _‘where do you live?’_ and his address. Once the car had parked, they both sat in the vehicle for a long moment. Prompto hadn’t wanted to leave yet. 

Caelum looked back at him, and the same sort of reluctance was reflected in his blue eyes. Then, without a word to Prompto, he pressed the button for the driver’s intercom. “The Lestallum.” A concierge met them in the lift of the underground parking, and gave them a key to what turned out to be the Noctis Suite. 

They’d spent the whole night _just talking_. He’d never expected a rich guy to take him to a fancy hotel and not expect anything from him. But Caelum did. _‘I want to know everything about you. Tell me everything.’_ So Prompto had. Told him about his early years in Niflheim, his parents moving to Insomnia for work – then leaving him behind with his uncle Cor for school. Then about growing up in Insomnia, the fancy school he never really fit in at – except with Luna. He had lots of stories about growing up best friends with her, but Caelum’s expression had been cold and guarded as he listened to that. Admitting he’d been a chubby kid with a lot of embarrassment – but Caelum had only smiled reassuringly. Discovering his love of photography when Luna had convinced him to take a class in high school. Graduating, scholarship at the local college, getting an internship at Meteor and slowly working his way up until he was a feature photographer. 

_‘An award-winning photographer,’_ the actor had reminded him with an indulgent smile. _‘But, Prompto. You haven’t told me about your boyfriends and girlfriends.’_

And wasn’t that embarrassing? He had to explain to the absolute catch _Caelum Lucii_ that he’d never had a partner in his life. But Caelum hadn’t teased him about it. A sleepy, content smile – it was almost dawn at that stage – crossed his gorgeous face. He’d picked up Prompto’s hand from the bed beside him and gently stroked a circle around the first knuckle of his ring finger. _‘Alright.’_ By then they’d slowly shed their suits layer by layer until they were in just their shirts, slacks and socks, and with Caelum still holding his hand they’d both fallen asleep. 

He’d woken up when a cellphone rang with an unfamiliar tone. Caelum had grumbled and fished around the bed until he had it in hand. “Specs, this better be important." Not wanting to interrupt, Prompto had pretended to be asleep still – until he was on that edge of waking and sleep where he could just nod off but getting up would be painful. Whoever Specs was – an agent or something? – they reminded Caelum he had an interview on a daytime talk show. 

And then he’d left. And now Prompto was lying alone in an empty hotel room he could never afford even if he’d saved his entire wage for a whole year. He found his phone on charge and picked it up, flicking open a text to Gladio. “ _How long after he’s left is it okay to stay in his hotel room?_ ”

Gladio’s reply was quick, he’d probably already been working out this morning the fit jerk. _He say goodbye?_

“ _I was still asleep_ ”

_Rack up room service charges, get a massage and then book it before he gets back. That’ll show him._

Prompto wasn’t going to do _that_. But breakfast on room service did sound good. Wasn’t the restaurant at Lestallum one of Coctivus’s? Specifically not thinking about the time, he ordered a big greasy Ultima Breakfast and waited for it to arrive.

Caelum called him when he was in the middle of eating. “Morning,” he greeted, his voice as enthralling on the phone as it was in person. 

“An hour late for that,” he replied with an awkward laugh. Fuck, had the hotel called him about the room service charge? Was he about to be kicked out? 

“Yeah. I wish I’d slept in longer.” Caelum sighed. “I’ve got an interview thing, and then I’m having tea with Luna. Are you free tonight?” 

He flushed a little, glad the actor couldn’t see it. “Uh…” He faltered. “Um. No. I mean! Yeah, I’m free. No ‘I don’t have anything planned’, I mean. Um. Yeah.” 

Caelum gave a low, fond chuckle. “Good. I want you to go home, pack some clothes, and make yourself at home there. We have so much more to talk about.”


	17. Answers

Luna was waiting at a secluded seat in Sylleblossoms – a café she’d owned one or two lives ago. A delicate tea-set, painted with the long-extinct flowers, sat on the table in front of her. As he approached across the café, he watched her pick up the delicate teacup in an elegant movement and bring it to her lips. 

“Luna.” 

She tilted her head in acknowledgement. “Noctis.” And she refused to say anything else until he had taken a seat across from her. “Shall we skip the pleasantries?” 

His jaw set. He poured himself a little cup of tea and stirred in an obscene amount of sugar. He had one sip first, then set it down to give her a cool look. “What the fuck, Luna?” 

She hid a smile behind her teacup at his tone, before it disappeared. She set the cup down. “I’ll assume you’re referring to Prompto?” 

“Of course I am!” he snapped angrily. “You didn’t tell me! He told me you were best friends all through school! We _dated_ in high school and you never thought to mention he was alive and waiting for me?” 

She was quiet during his rant, letting him get it over with. As he finished, she lifted her teacup and wet her lips. This was not a conversation she ever wanted to have, though she had seen it coming for centuries. “You’ve known Prompto for scant weeks, Noctis. Don’t presume to know better than I about what is best for him.” 

His fists clenched on the table surface, though she knew he wouldn’t act out in his anger. He had always been a more vocal person than a violent one. “How dare you?” He hissed. “I’ve been waiting for him to come back for literally a thousand years. His whole life he’s _waited_ for me.” 

She took a final sip of tea, placed it down on the saucer and pushed it aside so there was nothing between them. She looked into his eyes with all seriousness, feeling the heavy weight of those thousand years he’d named. “Yes, Noctis. He’s waited.” He shot her a suspicious look, but didn’t interrupt. “He’s always been waiting, yearning, his being bound up in a promise to wait for you he cannot even remember making. Do you not think it was difficult for me, to watch his eyes wander in every public place searching for something, when I knew how to reunite you? Do you dare to presume to do that had I not a _very good reason_?” 

His expression softened from its hard suspicion, as he realised the truth in her words. He took a moment to rein in his anger, and took a deep breath. “Then why?” He demanded, petulant like a child. 

She reached for another sip of tea, trying to pick the best way to phrase what she had to tell him. “Noctis,” she began carefully. “There has always been a Prompto. For every lifetime you’ve had, he has had one too. I’ve known almost all of them.” 

His expression twisted in absolute fury. He opened his mouth to begin what was no doubt going to be an angry tirade, but she rose a hand to press against his lips and silence him before he could begin. 

“Allow me to finish before you begin, Noctis,” she commanded. She waited until he’d relaxed back into his chair like a sulky child to remove her hand and begin speaking again. “Yes, Noctis. He’s had all those lives.” She paused to look at him with a weary seriousness. “But this is the first one he has lived to be eighteen.” 

A weight of grief fell over his expression, and his hands were shaky as he took a sip of tea to fortify himself. His voice was tight, begrieved, as he asked: “how?” 

“All manner of things,” she answered mournfully. “Illness, accident, natural disaster, tragedies – almost everything imaginable.” She sipped her tea, Noctis’s eyes shiny with tears. She waited until he had taken a deep breath and calmed himself down to continue. “Do you remember a life, very near the beginning, when you grew up at the Chocobo Post?” 

She watched his face as he struggled to think back. The memories always grew fuzzy through the centuries. “I do,” he said carefully, “I thought Prompto would find his way to me. He loves chocobos…”

She let him pull himself back into order before continuing. “I was much older than you then – but do you recall when you were still a child that you were told your Aunt Freya was coming to visit?” 

He frowned and shook his head in confusion. “I didn’t have an aunt then…”

“Well, not by blood,” she agreed, nodding. “But I don’t expect you to remember. For I never made it.” Soul heavy, she closed her eyes for a moment, willing the vivid memories not to rise up and overcome her. “I was travelling when there was an earthquake. The car crashed and I barely escaped with my life.” She opened her eyes and looked at him sadly. “The other passenger didn’t.” 

His breath caught in his throat. “Prompto?” 

She nodded. “He was my son then. Just eight years old, and beginning to get that longing look in his eyes. Regis and I agreed to let the two of you meet – but fate intervened. He died because we had tried to force a meeting before it was time. Since then, we have always sworn never to interfere. To let you both meet when it was natural.” 

Across the table, Noctis wiped under both eyes with the back of his hand. “Luna…”

“I know,” she said quietly. “I’ve looked after him for you. In so many lives he’s been kin, or I’ve sought him out to befriend him. Each time I’ve had to watch him yearn for you, and die before knowing what he was looking for. You knew him for ten years in our first lives, but _I_ have known him for a thousand.” 

Noctis looked at her seriously, quiet for a long moment. “You love him.” 

She picked up her cup, sipping from it, turning her eyes out to the garden beyond the window. “You love Ignis,” she returned, an indirect answer. What did it matter, Prompto had always belonged to Noctis, even when he spent centuries never knowing him. 

He sighed shakily. “Once he remembers everything, I can explain…”

She turned to look at him seriously. “Noctis,” she said seriously. “He may never remember.” She set down her cup. “Think about it. Who are the people who remember?” 

“You,” he begun, “and me, and Specs…”

She nodded. “And Ravus, and your father.” She looked at him seriously. “Those of us who had the ring.” She sat back in her seat, the quiet noise of the café the only sound between them for a long moment. “Noctis. He will never be your Prompto, the one from before. There is no Prompto Argentum.” She looked at him seriously. “You can’t wait for him to remember to accept him. If you want to be with Prompto, you need to love Prompto _Leonis_.”

He frowned at her and looked out the window instead of answering. 

Quietly, she rose to her feet. “You should return to him. He’s waited a thousand years for you too.”


	18. Home

Gladius woke up with the worst headache in years – since he was a teenager first enjoying the taste of drinking. The room around him was dim, but he had no idea where he’d fallen asleep. It wasn’t his couch, he was sprawled out on. This one was actually deep enough to fit his muscular bulk. Maybe he could just pass back out and wait for the hangover to die out. 

But beyond his pounding heart in his ears, he was slowly becoming aware of other noises. A soft, even breathing that was somehow painfully familiar, and the gentle swish of liquid in a can, and swallowing before and after. Reluctantly, he peeled one eye open and tilted his head to look. 

Ignis Coctivus was sitting on a wooden dining chair, one leg crossed over the other, watching him as he sipped from a can of Ebony. He let out a quiet groan and closed his eyes again. There was a soft click as Coctivus set the can down on the glass surface of the coffee table, the groan of the chair as he stood, and the quiet retreat of his footsteps. 

He lingered between blissful sleep and painful waking, but he was aware of footsteps returning. There was a soft clack as something was placed down on the coffee table, and the chink of a glass being placed down beside it. And then… retreating footsteps again. There was a quiet snick of a closing door and then silence except for the soft noise of the air conditioning. 

When he eventually managed to open his eyes and look, he saw a packet of pain medication on the table next to a glass full of water. He looked around again, but there was no sight of Coctivus in the room around him. 

Gratefully, he downed the painkiller and the glass of water and settled down until his head stopped thumping. The queasy feeling remained, but that wouldn’t go away until he’d had a good workout. He felt human finally, at least. 

He sat up, looking around the room. It was an apartment, looked far too lived in to be a hotel room. It was decorated in an ancient style, like a thousand years old. Some antique, others designed to look like it fit in. A style he liked, but didn’t dare remodel his own apartment in. He was never at his place often enough. This place felt more at home than his own did. 

Coctivus’s place? He looked around, searching for photographs or something to confirm. There was a large portrait across the room on the main wall, printed instead of digital. The figure was something familiar, but he couldn’t quite figure out where he knew it from. Someone regal, broad shouldered, cleanly shaven with closely cropped hair. There was a placard on the wall, straight out of a gallery. 

_King Gladiolus Lucis Amicitia, First of His Line. Coronation Portrait. M.E. 767. Artist: Prompto Argentum._

Right. The first king of the Lucis Amicitia line, the successor to the legendary King Noctis. It wasn’t the most well-known picture, the one in the royal museum was King Gladiolus and Queen Aranea. 

Staring at the scarred face, looking calm and serious at the camera, he felt an overwhelming wave of loneliness. He turned away, exploring the rest of the living room. Behind the couch was a closed door with a glass panel – and through it he spotted Ignis Coctivus at his desk, typing away at a digital computer. 

His feet crossed over, circumnavigating the huge, plush couch, to stand at the door. He pushed down the door handle and opened the door inward. Ignis glanced up, his expression totally blank. “You’re up.” He closed the computer away and sat back in his plush computer chair. “Shall I telephone a car for you or will you organise an Ultima yourself?” 

Gladio didn’t know why he felt so hurt by the implication. “You’re kicking me out?” 

Ignis stood, heading towards another door to exit the room. “You forget you’ve stolen my car? I would be foolish to trust you to remain in my personal apartment.” 

Gladiolus trailed after him, knowing staying close would hold the gaping maw of loneliness at bay. “But you brought me home.” 

A larger, brighter living room was through the other door – with a huge homely kitchen through an open arch. This one was modern, the epitome of contemporary interior design. It didn’t feel as homely as the other living room – a den, he supposed. The remains of Gladio’s suit from last night was carefully folded on the wooden coffee table. 

“I’ve had your clothes steam-pressed,” Ignis explained. “I’d prefer to avoid the tabloids calling your walk of shame from my apartment building. You’ve done quite enough to defame my reputation.” 

Gladio cringed. “Are you still mad about that?” 

His lips pursed, and he shot Gladio a cold look through his glasses. “Am I still mad about that?” He repeated curtly. He didn’t need to say yes or no, his expression said everything. 

“Yeah, but you had be arrested,” Gladio argued, “I thought we were even.” 

“You were still driving my car around!” Ignis argued impatiently. “You had ignored my demands to return it, I merely took the next step.” 

His fingers felt sticky as he ran them through the long hair at the top of his head. He needed to buzz the sides again. “I wanted you to come and get it,” he mumbled. 

Ignis’s nostrils flared, and he gave a cold look. For a moment he looked so much older, though they were the same age. “I’m not playing your games, Gladius Armum. This isn’t a childish game for me. I was _serious_ about you. I am not here to be another notch in your bedpost; another name in the list of your tabloid-worthy affairs.” He stepped close, and gave Gladius a sharp poke in the chest. “Do, _not_ , play, with, _me_.”

He stepped back, rubbing the sore spot on his chest, as if it could erase the twist of unnamed feeling in his chest. “I’m not a _serious_ kind of guy,” he muttered. “Anyone can tell that about me.” 

Ignis stepped away and neatened the elegant pompadour atop his head. “Yes, I learned that the hard way, thank you. And suffered all the consequences too.” He cut him with a cool look. 

“If you hate me such, why’d you bring me home last night?” He demanded angrily, not sure why he felt so _hurt_ by the reaction. 

Ignis’s expression was suddenly very reserved. “Well, after Lunafreya and Cindy left together I was the only one left you would speak to.” He answered, his voice completely unreadable. “You begged me to take you home. You were very… explicit about the sexual acts you would perform as remuneration.” 

The queasy feeling twisted, becoming a brief lick of nausea. “We fucked?” 

Ignis shot him an offended look. “What _do_ you take me for, Gladius? Of course we didn’t. I’m insulted you believe I would take advantage of someone in that manner.” 

Gladio gave him a brief apologetic look, before he let the confusion wash over him. “So why am I here then?” 

He looked away. “Well, I could hardly leave you at the mercy of anyone else at the party,” he replied, pushing up his glasses. 

_He’s lying_ , a voice whispered to him, and suddenly he knew it was true. That was a _tell_. “Bullshit,” he hissed. “What’s the real reason?” 

He looked shocked for a moment, before his expression was schooled. “I wouldn’t wish to embarrass you by repeating things you drunkenly said and wouldn’t wish to remember in a sober light.” 

Gladio ignored the panic thumping in his heart, glaring at him hard. “Tell me.” 

Ignis watched him carefully. “You said you needed someone,” he answered, his voice perfectly composed and emotionless. Like a newscaster. “To keep the loneliness at bay. That before anyone could help you, but I did it best. I made you feel at home, made the loneliness quiet even when I wasn’t touching you.” 

He felt the blood drain out of his face. He took a step back, panic bubbling in his chest. “I have to go.” 

The chef turned away. “Yes,” he said quietly. “I suspect you do.” He walked quietly away through the office, closing himself into the den.”


	19. Noctis

Prompto stirred awake, smiling as he saw Caelum asleep on the pillow beside him. It had been three glorious weeks of waking up to this very sight, and Prompto knew he would happily do it for the rest of his life. It was a terrifying but thrilling thought. He was just twenty-five years old, and he found someone he wanted to spend his life with. 

His alarm buzzed next to him on the mattress, though it didn’t disturb Caelum even slightly. Time to get up and go to work. He leaned over and kissed him, before sliding out of the bed. The conditioned air pierced his silky pyjamas and he hurried to the bathroom to shower. 

Okay so. Three weeks. They hadn’t even had sex yet. Like… he knew they were attracted to each other. There had been plenty of proof in that direction. But he didn’t know if it was because Caelum knew he was inexperienced and didn’t want to pressure him, or because he was waiting for _something_. But who knew what? 

He was enjoying their time anyway. It was like all the teen romances he’d heard about when everyone else was dating in high school and he’d just listened. They build blanket forts and played video games, and climbed up to the roof of the hotel to look at the stars and have those long, intense conversations that you could only ever have under the midnight sky. 

Caelum asked him everything. He spilled all these details about his life that came to the actor’s mind. It was like the guy was trying to learn everything about him. He was starting to notice it didn’t really go both ways though – like Caelum expected him to know everything about him already. 

Maybe that was a celebrity thing? 

By the time he was dressed and ready for work, Caelum was sitting up in bed, watching him with sleepy eyes. “Time for work?” He asked, disappointed. 

“The curse of the working class,” he chuckled. He sat down on the bed and gave his maybe-boyfriend a brief kiss. 

Caelum clasped his wrists in a soft grip. “Just quit,” he replied with a gentle smile. “I’ll take care of you.” 

Prompto laughed and ruffled his hair. “And then what would I do while you’re filming?” He stood reluctantly. “I’ll be back later tonight. Are we going to make it out of the house for dinner?” 

“Room service?” He suggested with a playful grin. 

Prompto smiled fondly and shook his head. 

Work was hard to focus on. He kept thinking about his maybe-boyfriend waiting at home in the bed for him to come home. They really needed to have that talk, figure out what they were. 

Caelum was so secretive right now. He didn’t seem to want to leave the apartment, ignored as many phone calls as he could, and took the ones he couldn’t on the balcony so Prompto wasn’t overheard. Was it just keeping Prompto to himself? Or was he ashamed to be seen with him in public? He was a celebrity after all. He had a reputation to keep. 

Eventually, it was home time. He got an Ultima home – he still needed to replace his lady – did a load of laundry and grabbed some new stuff to wear. He skyped with Cor, caught up with his uncle’s adventures in Galahd. He texted Gladio, put off his P.T. session once again, and got the scolding about his lack of commitment to his fitness. Gladio was such a _grump_ these days. Finally his clothes were done, and he sent Caelum a message to let him know he was coming back. 

He was greeted with affection when he came through the doors of the Noctis Suite, and immediately brought to a table where Room Service was waiting for them. Right, so they weren’t going out tonight, then. 

“So,” he said, as they ate burgers and Caelum moved the salads from his bun onto his plate. “We’ve been hanging out for a few weeks now.” 

“Uh-huh,” Caelum replied absently, inspecting the bun lid to make sure no onions had escaped his scrutiny. 

How was he supposed to phrase it? He could just meme it, _what are we?_. Or should he start with the fact he really enjoyed the time they’d spent together? 

He didn’t get to think for long. They both paused and turned to look as the door clicked as it unlocked and opened without a knock. A familiar figure stepped inside, and Prompto gaped. 

Regis King. _The_ Regis King. Investor King of Insomnia. What was he doing here? Why had he just let himself in? 

“Well, son,” Regis was saying, “when I heard you’d been taking up the suite, I thought you were just being nostalgic. I was coming to check up on you, but I see that’s unnecessary.” He gave a beaming smile and reached to clasp Prompto’s hand. “Prompto Argentum. Good to see you again.” 

“Leonis,” he corrected absently. Again? When had they met before? 

Regis frowned in Caelum’s direction, a sort of disapproving look he’d used to get from Cor when he’d gotten detention again. Fatherly. Regis had called him _son_.

Oh gods. 

“Hi Dad,” Caelum replied, his voice carefully composed. “You should’ve called ahead. I would’ve ordered extra.” 

“I won’t be staying for long,” the man replied. He patted Prompto’s shoulder. “We should do lunch, Mr Leonis. Is your…father in town?” He ventured. 

“Uhh…” _What the fuck was happening?_ “My _father_ lives abroad. But my uncle, Cor’s in Galahd at the moment. He raised me.” 

Regis nodded. “Well. When he’s in town we’ll have dinner. A sort of meet-the-family deal, hm?” He looked seriously at the actor. “Son, I’ll see you in my office tomorrow.” He said his final goodbyes to Prompto and left again. 

The room was stiff and silent as the businessman left. Prompto stared at the closed doors and then slowly turned his head to look at Caelum. “Son?” He echoed weakly. 

He looked shifty for a moment. “Uh.” He gave him an awkward smile. “Yeah. That was my dad.” 

“Regis King,” Prompto said. 

“Yeah.” 

“ _The_ Regis King. The guy who owns half the city and is invested in the rest?” 

“That’s him.” 

He frowned. “If he’s Regis King, why are you Lucii? Was that your mom’s name?” 

The actor shifted and looked guilty. “Well… no.” He gave him an awkward smile. “Caelum Lucii is just a stage name,” he said carefully. “I’m a King too.” 

“Caelum King?” He asked dubiously. 

“Well… no.” One of his pearly white teeth sunk into the soft lower lip Prompto had recently become very acquainted with. “Noctis. It’s Noctis King..” 

Prompto looked at him. Then his eyes wandered around to rest of the suite. The Noctis Suite. The suite they’d used to take photographs for the legendary King Noctis editorial. A nervous, bewildered laugh escaped his lips. 

“Prompto…?” Caelum – no, _Noctis_ , asked uncertainly. 

He couldn’t help laughing. “I’m sorry it’s just…” He laughed and gestured around the room, to the Meteor magazine on the coffee table, the script of the next season premiere of Ignis, back to him again. “ _Noctis._ ” And then the half-hysterical laughter continued to bubble out of his lips. 

Noctis King. Gods, that’s how he and Luna had known each other. “You and Luna dated in high school,” he said, still laughing. “You’re that Noctis King. The one from the fancy arts school.” 

“Yeah,” he said weakly, watching Prompto uncertainly. “That was me.” 

Prompto felt oddly hysterical as his panic and confusion bubbled all over the place. “Noctis King,” he giggled. 

“Prompto…” Caelum, no, Noctis, said carefully. “You’re starting to worry me.” 

“So… what do I call you now?” He asked. “Caelum, or Noctis?” 

Noctis sighed. “You can call me whatever you like, Prompto.” He sounded oddly… disappointed. 

Prompto gave a sort of twisted smile. “How about my boyfriend?” He asked, his voice still unsteady with laughter. “Can I call you that?” 

Noctis’s head jolted up with a surprised noise. He stared at Prompto. “You…want that?” 

Prompto shrugged and waved around. “We’ve been doing this for three whole weeks now, Noct. And I’m pretty sure there has to be sex to be a one-night stand.” 

He reached forward and enclosed his hand around Prompto’s. The thumb stroking across his knuckles seemed to ground him, let the bubbling anxious feeling settle. “Yeah,” he whispered softly. “I’d like it if you did.”


	20. Paternal

“Are you sure I look okay?” Prompto asked, agitatedly tugging at his clothes. 

Noctis gave a soft laugh, smiling fondly. He _loved_ Prompto. So much. This life, the first life, every life in between – what did it _matter_? No matter what Luna seemed to warn, Prompto was still the same person at heart. The same bright light in his life, with the hidden depths that made him so much more precious to Noct. The same person that Noct had loved and cherished and _left_ a thousand years ago. He wasn’t wasting any opportunities now. 

Specs was getting annoyed with him ducking out on public appearances and rejecting invitations. But he’d rather spend every moment with Prompto, learning him inch by inch and moment by moment. What did the rest of the world matter now that he had Prompto to himself? 

But the world was now intruding. His father had called – Cor Genji, the rebirth of Cor Leonis, had returned back from town and King Regis had booked a dinner for them tonight. It was intimidating, the sort of meet-the-parents thing he’d never really had to deal with before. What if Cor didn’t _like_ him, or _approve_ of their relationship? 

“You look perfect,” Noct reassured him, coming behind Prompto to gently move his fussing hands away from the hem of his clothes. “It’s just a quiet pub my father has a share in, nothing fancy. You don’t have to worry about it.” 

“I’m _having dinner with your dad_ ,” Prompto argued. “With _Regis King._. What if he doesn’t _like_ me?” 

He chuckled and kissed his cheek. “If I’m honest,” he murmured, “I’ve been worrying the same thing. Cor Genji. Is he going to threaten to decapitate me if I ever break your heart?” 

Prompto laughed. “Well, I guess you better not break my heart then, _Noctis_.” 

“That’s not reassuring,” he muttered, and kissed his cheek again. “Come on. The car is waiting in the basement garage.” 

A flicker of expression crossed Prompto’s face, but it was quickly swallowed by nervousness. He nodded, straightened his clothes once again, and then followed Noct towards the door. But as soon as it opened, Noct came to a complete stop. As if his body had been turned into stone. 

_Ardyn_! His face twisted up in fury and he instinctively moved to protect Prompto from the villain. But there was a slow, patient smile on his face, and Prompto’s voice perked up beside him, bubbly and bright. “Dad!” 

“ **What**?!”

“Prompto! My boy!” He held out his arms, and Noctis could only flounder, useless, as Prompto stepped around him to hug the villain. “Cor told me I would find you here!” he turned a bright smile to Noctis. “And you must be son’s boyfriend. Caelum Lucii, wasn’t it?” 

He was frozen, and Prompto gave him a confused, upset look, until he reached out to shake the other man’s hand. Was it… possible that Ardyn didn’t remember? Had he never held the ring all his years? 

But the hand closed around him painfully tight, sharp nails digging tightly into the sensitive zones between the bones of his hand. The smile turned just slightly cruel as Ardyn met his eyes. 

_No,_ Noctis thought calmly, _he definitely remembers._

“Dad, what are you _doing_ here?” Prompto asked, eager and excited. This was a good surprise to him, while Noctis was wondering how quickly he could get to his father’s sword mounted on the wall. 

Ardyn turned back to Prompto, and a proud smile crossed his face. “I heard about your award,” he answered. “My precious boy, I’m so proud of you. Your work is exquisite.” He cupped one hand over Prompto’s shoulder – the blond beamed like it was a fatherly gesture, but Noctis saw it for what it was. Ardyn had placed his arm between the two of them, and the part of his coat had revealed a dagger concealed at his hip. _This is a threat._ “Oh dear,” he said, sounding regretful. “You’re all dressed up. Have I interrupted date night?” 

“We’re about to have dinner with my father,” Noctis answered. It took all of his acting training to remain calm and polite. 

“And Cor!” Prompto added brightly. He gripped his father’s elbow and beamed up at him. “Will you come with us?” 

_Damnit, Prompto,_ Noctis thought. 

Ardyn only smiled. “Of course I will, my boy.” 

  


Noctis could hardly eat. Cor and his dad got along well – they’d been friends back then and they got along great now. Ardyn was pleasant, and his father was perfectly friendly in return. Prompto was oblivious, he thought everything was going spectacular. Ardyn was _charming_ , he courted the conversation with skill and charisma – Noctis _hated_ him. 

After dinner, his father and Cor got up to play darts and it was just the three of them. Until Prompto declared he needed to use the bathroom and slid out of the booth. Noctis wanted to join him, but he felt a sharp tip in his side – Ardyn’s dagger. “Certainly, my boy,” he replied with a smile. “Your partner and I can chat while it’s just us two.” 

Noct returned Prompto’s reassuring smile and watched him head off to the other end of the busy pub. “ _Get the fuck off me_ ,” he hissed at Ardyn. 

The blade retreated, and he watched as the villain tucked it into his waist holster. “Now, now, Noctis. You wouldn’t want to make a scene.” He smiled and nodded his head towards the table where gods damned Dino was having dinner just a few seats away. He seethed but stayed silent. “Now imagine my frustration, when I’ve so carefully cultivated the last thousand years to ensure that you would never get to see Prompto Argentum again, only to realise this time I was _just a few months_ too late.” 

Noctis’s heart thumped in his chest. “You…” His jaw clenched tightly. “ _It was you_ ,” he hissed. “You’ve been _killing_ him, in every life, before he ever got the chance to grow up!” 

Ardyn chuckled, and the bastard had the nerve to look _pleased_. “Indeed. And your pathetic little shield too. I’ve had so much _satisfaction_ watching the lives drain out of their eyes before you could ever be reunited with one another. It keeps a very old man going through another millennium.” 

“I’ll kill you!” He snarled. 

“Uh-uh-uh!” Ardyn said, drawing his knife again and looking significantly towards Dino, who had peeked in their direction. “Careful, Noctis. You’re in the public eye as much as before.” 

He forcefully clamped down on his anger. “What the fuck do you want?” He hissed. 

“What I’ve always wanted,” Ardyn replied. “To see the line of my brother suffer, to live for the vengeance of paying you all back for the deeds inflicted on me.” 

He clenched his fists under the table. “I’m not responsible for what you did, or what the founder king did to you.” 

“Questionable,” Ardyn replied smoothly, “but regardless. You’ve reaped the benefits of what he has done. And I will make you pay for every moment I suffered, scourged and outlawed. You and that little oracle.” 

Something in Ardyn’s expression niggled at Noctis. And it took a moment for him to realise what thought was trying to get to him. “So why isn’t he dead?” He asked. 

Ardyn’s eyes narrowed. “Pardon?” 

“Luna said he’s never lived past eighteen before,” Noctis replied, a calm washing over him. “So why did you kill him years ago?” 

There. A flash of panic in the twisted eyes. “I have been otherwise occupied in—”

“Bullshit,” Noctis replied triumphantly. “He’s not dead because _you can’t kill him_!” And it took only one more moment for the realisation why to reach him. “He’s your _son_ now. A child you _never_ got to have in your lifetime. You _love_ him, and _you can’t kill him_!”

Ardyn’s face twisted in fury, proving Noctis right. But it slowly became calm, and a cruel smirk crossed his lips. The dagger pressed tight into the flesh of Noct’s thigh. “I don’t have to kill _him_ to keep you two apart.” 

Noctis only smirked. “You can’t kill me either. That would only upset him, and you wouldn’t have the satisfaction of making me live in suffering.” 

The dagger removed, and Ardyn regarded him with something like respect in his eyes. “Never underestimate me, Noctis. I cannot be beaten.” 

“I’ve beaten you,” Noctis replied, smirking back. “And I think I just have again.” 

Ardyn patted his hand above the table. “Neither of you have to die for me to make you suffer, you insolent fool.” 

Noctis was aware of Prompto returning to the table, and as he glanced over, Ardyn’s voice suddenly became the same charismatic charm it had been all evening. “And that, of course, is when I was made to return to Niflheim to my work. We agreed to leave Prompto here, so he could get the best education and upbringing that we could afford him.” 

Prompto smiled and settled in next to Noctis. “Oh, Dad, come on. Not more history. Can’t we talk about something else?” 

Noctis seized his hand under the table and held it in a comforting grip. What would Ardyn do? Prompto was alive, but he wasn’t _safe_. It was time to bring everyone together and _plan._


	21. The Ring

Dino snatched the invitation off Prompto’s mood board, eyes glowing with excitement. “Is this it?” He asked eagerly. 

Prompto plucked the card out of his hands and pinned it back in place on the board. “Yes, Dino. That is _my_ invitation to the unveiling of the new feature at the museum of fashion.” He replied impatiently. 

“Take me,” Dino demanded. 

Prompto raised his eyebrows at him. “Uh. No way in hell?” He replied flatly. “You crucified me in the tabloids for being ‘ _Playboy Caelum Lucii’s latest fame-hungry conquest_ ’. I should punch you for even coming within ten feet of me.” 

Dino waved absently. “I had sources. You and Lucii both refused my offer to take an interview.” Right. And one of those sources had been goddamn Gladio. Safe to say the last week or so had been hell. 

Dino’s blog had hit the web the morning after dinner with the father figures. Noctis had been avoiding him ever since. _It’s not about the article,_ he’d promised. _I’ve got a big project and I can’t put it off. I have to go to Altissia for a few days. You’re welcome to stay here._

But Prompto hadn’t wanted to stay in the Noctis Suite without him. So he’d taken himself back to his own apartment and, since he was lonely there, he’d invited his dad to stay with him. 

He’d listened to all of Prompto’s complaints and upset, comforting him, and giving him some very realistic advice. It was obviously the article that had turned Noctis sour about their relationship. Perhaps Noctis hadn’t been as invested in the relationship as Prompto had been? 

He’d struggled to believe it. How did someone spend three weeks tangled up in each other’s lives without it being serious? But then Prompto had thought of Gladio and suddenly he wasn’t so sure at all. No matter how many people were genuinely interested in and made a connection with Gladio, he never spoke to them again. He’d seen how Gladio was treating Coctivus when they’d been forced together. 

But he’d had a little bit of hope left. Until he’d found out that Coctivus was in Altissia as well – seen going in and out of the same hotel room. His dad had tried to hide the article from him, but Prompto had grabbed it behind his back. The tabloids suspected their engagement was back on. They’d even been seen together visiting several well-known ring makers in the floating city. 

So that was it. Noctis hadn’t even had the guts to _break up_ with him first before getting back together with his fiance. Gods, had the whole last few months been a publicity ploy? Gladius, Ariadne, him. Were they just pawns? 

His dad had been quiet about that, which showed his agreement. Gladius, when they’d finally met up to hash it out, had snorted and thrown back his shot of whiskey. _Probably,_ he replied, _everyone famous is a dick, Prompto. You just gotta know how to handle them right_.

That was Gladio. Always with the dick jokes. 

“Prompto,” Dino said pleadingly. “It’s the _crown jewels_ of the Lucis Caelum line. I gotta get in on this.” 

Prompto frowned. “Then get your own invitation.” 

“You think I haven’t _tried_?” Prompto hadn’t actually thought about it. He figured he was Dino’s first option. “All the invites are out. Look, just take me as your plus-one. You’ll owe me one less.” 

“I owe _you_ one?” Prompto demanded furiously. “Get the fuck out of my sight, Dino. I swear to all _six_ of the gods!” 

The journalist fled. Prompto eventually did calm down and send one of the interns to tell Dino that he better be there at 6 or he was going in without him. 

He refused to actually _talk_ to the guy, but he knew how obsessed he was with jewellery. He’d never shut up about it if he didn’t let him go, so he folded. Bringing his dad as a plus one would’ve just been embarrassing anyway.” 

Luna was there, with some new guy on her arm – so good looking he was most likely a model. She kissed his cheek and introduced them. “Prompto, this is Ulric Nox – Nyx, this is my friend Prompto Leonis.” 

If he was Nox, why did she call him Nyx? He pondered as he shook the stranger’s hand, not entirely comfortable with the intense look the model was settling him with. Like he was trying to figure him out with one look.

Prompto gestured lazily to Dino who was hovering over his shoulder. “Luna, Nox, this is Dino Jerkface. He’s just here for the display, don’t tell him anything. He’ll turn it into an exclusive.” 

Luna chuckled a bit and offered her hand out to him. “Good evening, Dino. I hope you enjoy the exhibit.” One he’d kissed it – oh six, what a _kissass_ , she tucked her hand in his arm. “Let me show you around. I helped curate this exhibit, and I’d love your opinion on some of the pieces. I read your column religiously.” 

She walked off, leaving Prompto awkwardly standing with Nox. “Uh.” 

The silent model-type just shrugged, but he followed Prompto as he began to look around the room. Maybe he was shy? He found Iris and congratulated her with genuine enthusiasm. She took his arm and dragged him around to tell him all about the exhibits. Eventually, they came to a temporary digital display, and met up with Luna and Dino there. 

“What’s this?” Prompto asked absently, feeling Nox looming behind him. 

Iris grinned. “This is our launch-exclusive display. From the Nox family collection – they leant us the original paper designs of the legendary Ring of the Lucii.” 

“I thought that was just a myth,” he answered dubiously. 

It was Dino who answered, shaking his head rapidly. “No, it was real. If you get access to the original Argentum photoepic, it’s prominent in the histories. It’s powers were exaggerated, obviously, but the ring itself – the symbol of the Lucian King’s power? – that was real.” He reached out, ghosting his fingers over the hologram as it rotated. “Isn’t it the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?” 

Prompto glanced at Iris, confused. “Argentum photo-epic?” 

She nodded, oblivious to the quick look Luna darted in her direction. “The published photographs detailing the life of the legendary King Noctis.” 

“By the Argentum group – identities unknown,” Luna contributed calmly, “but historians suggest it may have been four of five sources close to the prince.” 

Iris nodded eagerly, and continued: “it’s one of our greatest resources for the aesthetics of the era. Most of this whole floor of the museum would be impossible without the Argentum Photoepic.” 

“How come I’ve never heard of it?” Prompto asked dubiously. 

“Because you don’t care about history, dear,” Luna said, reaching out to pat his arm. “Although it’s not publically available. The Yaegre University has it in their archives. You need all sorts of letters to gain access to _some_ of the photographs.” 

“I don’t think anyone’s ever seen the whole thing,” Dino complained. “I petitioned for a year and only got some cropped facsimile images of the Ring.” And then he returned his attention back to the display, looking at it with arrested attention. 

Prompto shrugged and nudged Iris. “Don’t you have anything cool? Armour or something?” 

Iris laughed and led him off, Nox trailing behind them. Dino and Luna remained behind at the digital display. As they left, he heard her ask in a soft voice, “are you an avid anulusologist?” 

Well, at least Dino wouldn’t be bugging _him_ for the rest of the night.


	22. Date

“I can’t believe you convinced Dino to quit!” Prompto said, waving his arms enthusiastically at the webcam. "I thought I’d be stuck with Dino Gemmae in my office forever!” 

Luna gave a delicate little laugh, which had his dad looking up with interest. “He didn’t quit, dear,” she said, amused. “He’s on leave. I’ve got him here to design pieces for my runway for Fashion Week.” 

He flopped back down on the coffee table, giving her sad eyes through the screen. “Luna, why does everyone escape to Altissia?” 

She shook her head. “I didn’t escape, dear. I’m preparing for Fashion Week.” She smiled. “My offer is still open to fly you hear, Prompto. You could be my photo blogger during the trip.” 

Prompto shook his head. “You’re not yanking me to the other side of Eos just because you don't like the new Promptagram layout,” he scolded playfully. 

He _had_ seriously considered taking up her offer. Altissia was supposed to be gorgeous, and if he was honest with himself he wanted to confront Caelum Lucii about how badly he’d used him. But when he’d talked to him about it, his dad had convinced him that it was too rash a decision. _In a career like ours, it’s important to maintain your network and good relationship with your employers. You wouldn’t want to anger the owner of the city’s biggest publisher simply for a few week’s fluff work. You wanted to talk to him about getting some more serious assignments, remember? How will it look if you take leave – when he’s already down a staff member, mind you – to take a commercial project? Of course I won’t stop you, but I think you need to re-examine your reasons for wanting to go and consider your path._

It was so cool to have his dad around. He’d never hesitated to turn to Cor for advice, but his uncle was always travelling around on adventure tours. It made his apartment feel a little less lonely, a little more like home. 

“But it’s not just you,” he continued. “Even Gladio left.” 

She laughed. “Prompto. The entire city is filled to the brim with fashion models. Where _else_ would he go?” 

“You have an answer for everything,” he grumbled. He didn’t want answers. He wanted her to commiserate with him. 

“At least Nyx is around?” She offered consolingly. 

He sighed. “Yeah. I suppose.” Ulric had been hanging around a lot since the exhibit launch at the museum. More of a weird unasked bodyguard guy than an actual friend, but hey – at least he had someone to work out with while Gladio was chasing models in everyone’s escape spot. 

“Dear, I’ve got to go. These patterns won’t cut themselves,” she said, eyes following the movement as his dad walked past the webcam on the way to the kitchen. “You called me for fashion advice?” She prompted. 

“Oh! Right.” He held up his arms. “Is this good enough for a first date or should I change?” 

She looked him over. “Swap your chinos out for a nice pair of jeans and wear your good shoes.” But then she paused, and looked back at him seriously. “Dear, what do you mean first date? With whom?” 

“Sydney,” he answered, with a small grin. “We’ve got tickets for the chococross.” 

She stared at him silently for a long moment, shocked. “Prompto. I thought you and Caelum…”

“So did I,” he interrupted. “But then he ran away to Altissia to go ring shopping with his fiance. I can get the picture when it’s shoved in my face.” He waved a hand. “Anyway. You gotta go. Patterns to make or something.” 

“Well. Wear your kicking ass boots if you’re going to the chocoocross. And the leather vest.” She gave him a worried look. “Text me later, okay?” 

They hung up the call and Prompto finished getting changed. “You gonna be fine home alone all night, Dad?” He called, while brushing his teeth. 

“My dear boy,” he replied, amused. “Don’t rush home on my account. You enjoy your night out with the charming Miss Aurum. She’ll be good for you.” He lingered in the doorway as Prompto rinsed his mouth out with mouthwash. “You know you don’t have to worry about any schemes for publicity with a nice normal girl like her.” 

He sighed. “Yeah, I know.” He tugged his boots on and yanked the laces tight. “There’s salad stuff in the fridge. I’ll text you if I’m crashing somewhere else for the night.” 

His dad chuckled. “My dear boy. You’re twenty-five. I don’t need to know if you want to spend the night with a date.” 

He flushed and grabbed the keys to his dad’s vintage car. “Bye!” he called instead of answering. 

His phone buzzed repeatedly as he drove with an incoming call, but when he had a chance to glance at the screen, it was from a private number and they weren’t bothering to leave a voicemail. Probably a telemarketer, or a survey or something. Nothing he wanted to bother him when he was a bundle of nerves about his first date with Sydney. 

It had been another one of the paternal conversations he’d been having with his dad recently that had convinced him to go for it. _My dear boy, it’s no use pining away for a cad like Caelum Lucii. He can’t be more obvious about his intentions than he already has been. It is quite over between the two of you, as much is obvious. That charming Miss Aurum – you two are clearly interested in one another. Why don’t you give a real relationship a try?_

It was going to be nice. And normal. They were going to go _out_ , instead of her being too ashamed to be seen with him in public. They were going to see some chocobos, hang out, flirt a bit, see where the evening took them. 

He parked outside the repair shop she lived above, turning the car and picking up his phone to clear the notifications. But as he watched, a new call picked up. A landline – and this one said it was from Altissia. His thumb hovered over the answer button, wondering if he ought to press it. 

It could be Luna – her phone had broken and she was trying to get in contact with him about something she’d forgotten to tell him in their video call earlier. Or it could be Dino about going to the latest movie premiere and getting some shots for his jewellery column. Or it could be Gladio, needing to borrow money again – his credit card had been stolen by one of his more unfortunate hook ups more than twice. 

Or… it could be…

The tap on his window jolted him out of his stupor, and the phone went to voice mail. He grinned at Sydney and cranked the window handle until it was rolled down. “Hey!” 

“Whose purdy girl is this?” She asked excitedly, walking around the car in a circle. “She’s a real antique.” 

“My dad’s,” he answered, climbing out of the car to join her, leaving his phone in the seat. “He’s lending her to me while he’s in town.” 

She whistled low, impressed. “He’s generous. If I had a beaut like this, she’d be in a museum somewhere. Not in the hands of the kid who crashed his own lady a few months ago!” She giggled, so he knew it wasn’t meant mockingly. 

He beamed. “Well. Maybe you should drive it instead?” 

Her face lit up in joy, and she climbed into the front seat. Adjusting the seat, Prompto gave a slight cringe as he phone clattered and landed under the driver’s seat. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll dig it out!” 

“Nah, it’s okay,” he said, walking around to the passenger side. “It’s just a bunch of telemarketers calling me tonight anyway. Knew I should’ve have signed up for that free sample of aero-wax hair gel.” 

She laughed, and started the engine with a purr. “Come on then, hon. I want to freeride in this purdy girl a bit before we gotta be at the races!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to post these chapters one by day because I’m living on reviews and comments, but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯. Y’all don’t need to wait because I’m being greedy. Enjoy your set of chapters!


	23. Kings

Gladius’s phonebook was mostly a collection of blocked numbers. Hook-ups and one night stands who he didn’t plan to ever speak to again. He didn’t talk to the people he had affairs with, not after the night ended. There was only two numbers saved on his phone that weren’t blocked: Iris and Prompto. 

But, of course, Ignis Coctivus had never called him in the first place. Taken his card, but never contacted him. Had his lawyers contact him in regards to the car, but never reached out directly. Gladio had never _had_ his number to block. 

So, one evening, when he was about to go out and get drunk and find company for the night, his phone had chimed with a text message. Not the theme song Iris had given herself, or the ‘kwek’ of a chocobo he’d given Prompto after he got his new haircut. It was the generic chime for an unknown number. 

Whoever he had expected – a desperate socialite, a journalist, his absentee father, it hadn’t been _Ignis_.

_I need you. Altissian Fashion Week. Bkackstage at he Luna Freya runway during the afteparty. No games. – Ignis_

He’d read the message a thousand times since its arrival. His phone opened straight to it, sometimes he’d fallen asleep with it lighting up the dark night. _No games_. What was that supposed to mean? 

He’d gotten drunk that night, Ariadne Highwind pressed against his side and murmuring the twelve times tables to him in a seductive murmur. They’d hooked up once a few years ago, when her career was blooming – and he’d introduced her to an agent or two, but they’d never made the publicity. She needed a boost, so here they were pretending to be hooking up in this public club. 

He took out his phone and stared down at the message again. _I need you_. No one had ever needed him – though thousands wanted him. “Wanna go to Altissia for Fashion Week?” 

Her mathematics paused and she pulled back to look up at him, surprised. But it quickly became easy going. “Fashion, models, pretty little fashion designers. Count me in.” 

She’d kweked Luna Freya that they were in the limo on the way to the private airport as he bullied his father into lending him the plane. But he’d lost his gumption as they sat on the runway, staring down at the message. 

They had their public romantic dinner, and a day being romantic at the waterfalls, and then she’d kicked him out so she could court models who wanted the time of the day. 

He stayed in the royal suite at the Leville, but he never took models and designers back with him. Sure, he went to their hotels, but never took them back with him. The gilded walls echoed with emptiness, but something about them felt familiar. Not that he hadn’t stayed here a hundred times in his life. 

Fashion Week came. His name was on a card in the front row of Luna Freya’s runway. The monochromatic style was familiar, but this year’s accent colour was a rich, royal purple. Her own brother wore the centrepiece – a dramatic white coat, that made him look regal and intimidating. Caelum Lucii was there too, modeling – which explained why Coctivus would be here to meet. 

He resisted the urge to climb up on the stage and punch the actor in the face. He’d had to listen to Prompto lamenting the shitty way he’d been treated, and if there were anyone other than his sister he wanted to protect, it was his only real friend. 

Ariadne had somehow arranged to be the cetrepiece – wearing a gorgeous wedding dress inspired by the millenia-old Westwood designs. He blamed Iris for knowing all this information. 

Finally it ended, Luna Freya herself was received with rowdy applause, and in the hustle to go to the next show, or the after party, he slipped backstage. Mostly-undressed models giggled and winked at him as he passed, but his feet led him towards the curtained private area. 

Luna was inside, sharing a bottle of champagne with the people he knew. Ariadne, Ravus, Dino, Caelum… and Ignis, who looked up as he entered. His hair was in its usual pompador, but a few locks of hair had escaped and hung about his forehead. His glasses were missing, and Gladio could see clear into his eyes. Blue and green, a mix of both and neither – like the turquoise gemstones of his favourite cufflinks. 

He had a vivid memory, staring down at Ignis sprawled over the bedsheets and a moment of more than lust that passed between them. 

Fear clenched at his chest, and he wanted to run. Turn and go straight back out – but Dino spotted him too. “Ey, Gladius! Thought I saw you coming in!” He poured him a glass of champagne and pressed it into his hands, pulling him into the group. “Got another exclusive for me?” He teased. 

“Don’t tempt me,” he mumbled, avoiding their eyes. 

“I’m joking,” Dino said, “I’m on a working vacation.” 

Gladio didn’t watch, but he was still aware of Ignis turning away, and placing his champagne flute down, sliding his glasses back on and adjusting his hair back into a normal style. “The after party should begin soon. It wouldn’t do for you both to arrive late to your own party.” 

Luna nodded. “Come Dino.” She linked her arm through Aridadne’s and led her out. “Dear, let’s slip you into something more comfortable…”

Gladius suddenly felt crowded, in the curtained area with Caelum Lucii and Ignis Coctivus. Caelum ignored him, moving to pick up the nearby landline and begin dialing. He shifted uncomfortably. “Well. I’m here,” he announced, “You summoned me.” 

Ignis opened a drawer. “Noct, hang up the phone. If Prompto was going to answer, he would’ve done so already.” He took out a plain ring box, setting it on the table between the three of them. 

“Why am I here?” Gladio demanded, confused and impatient. 

Caelum hung up the phone and came to the table, sitting down and huffing as he leaned on his hand. “Go on then, Specs.” 

Ignis shot him an irritated look. “Very well.” He looked at him seriously. “There is no gentle way to put this. You’re the reincarnation of King Gladiolus Lucii Amicitia, and we need your help to defeat an old enemy.” 

Gladio looked at the completely serious expression, and Caelum Lucii who simply looked bored and sulky. The tilted his head back and laughed. “Good one,” he said, amused. “Why am I really here?” 

“I promised no games,” Ignis answered calmly. “I assure you, I am being entirely serious.” 

”I’m Noctis,” Caelum contributed, sounding utterly bored. “ _The_ Noctis.” 

“Yeah, on T.V.,” he replied, giving them an irritable look. “I don’t know what’s going on, but…”

“No, not on television,” Ignis replied. “For a thousand years we have all been reincarnated to live new lives, but until recently we were unaware that our enemy has also been, and is killing to prevent the reunions that us two have been waiting for.” 

“This is crazy. You’ve been acting for too long, you’re too method,” he shot at Caelum. “I’m not getting involved in this.” 

“You are involved whether you want to be or not.” Ignis opened the box and took a black ring out, with intricate metal work. He held it out to him. “Take it.” 

Giving them an irritable look, he took the ring out of his palm. It burned as soon as it touched the skin of his fingers, warmth pooling out down his arm as he rested it in his palm. 

“We’ve reconstructed the Ring of the Lucii.” Ignis’s voice sounded distant. “It doesn’t _have_ the gathering of power from a thousand years of kings. But if we can gather those from the people we know are here in this time…”

“This is crazy,” he murmured. The ring felt heavier than it should, and the more he looked at it the more he realised he _knew_ it. 

“Just try it on,” Ignis stressed, “and we can answer any questions you have left.” 

”No.” he answered gruffly. 

“Try it on,” Ignis repeated, sterner. 

“No.” 

“Gladius,” he barked, his temper smouldering. “Put the ring o—” 

“I don’t need to,” he cut him off. He placed the ring back on the table. “I’ve seen it before. I’ve _dreamed_ of it before. Dreamed of being King Noctis’s shield, and working with him to defeat the Empire’s forces and release Lucis from the grips of darkness.” He glanced at Ignis, then at… Noctis. “I believe you.” 

Noctis nodded, slow and calm. “Good. Now – will you help us protect Prompto?” 

  


“So who were you?” 

Ignis glanced up from the falling mats where he was stretching out his leg muscles. “To when are you referring?” He asked, looking away from him in a smooth movement. 

“The first time, way back when,” Gladio answered, testing the range of different weapons laid out on the table to work out with. He was wearing the ring, and he was to fight and build up his energy before trying to store it in the ring. Against Ignis first, and then Noctis would join the fight when he thought it was time. Right now the former king was sitting in the corner with Ignis’s phone, still trying to connect with Prompto on the phone. 

The chef waved a hand towards the stack of ‘Ignis’ scripts on the table shoved in the corner of the room. “Ignis Scientia. King Noctis’s advisor and a member of his personal retinue.” 

Gladio hummed, and picked up a large broadsword. Yes, that felt right in his hand. “So who were you to King Gladiolus?” 

“Nothing,” he replied, his voice cold and reserved. “I was nothing to King Gladiolus.” From the table, he belted a set of matching daggers onto his hips, and then slid them out of the sheaths. He made a kind of ‘go on them’ motion, and took stance on the mats. 

“You have my portrait in your secret den,” Gladio disagreed. “You can’t have been nothing to him.” 

His expression was cool. “To Gladio himself, before all that? No. I wasn’t nothing. But once he ascended? There was no place for me.” He tossed one of the daggers, and Gladio had to dodge it rapidly, startled. “We’re not here to talk, Armum. We’re here to spar.” 


	24. Betrayal

“I’m simply saying, my boy,” Ardyn said, smiling at him. “If you want an opportunity to get into more serious journalism, this would be it.” 

Prompto sighed, shifting the gears as they turned onto a quieter street. “I know,” he said. “And it’s a wonderful opportunity. But moving to Niflheim? You know how dangerous it is. You moved me here when I was a kid for a reason.” 

His father nodded. “I know I did then, but you’re no longer a child. You’re more than capable of protecting yourself now. And your work as a photojournalist inside the border could do much to improve the lives of your countrymen.” He looked at him with a calm smile as they turned into Citadel Boulevard. “I simply suggest you think about it, you’ll see that it’s the perfect opportunity for you. 

Prompto sighed as he parked the car outside the academy, the old citadel of the legendary King Noctis. “Why did they ask you to meet them here, Dad?” He asked, squinting at the building. It was lit up like a beacon, like he'd almost never seen it except for there rare awards nights. 

“Perhaps the magazine wants me to do an article about the school,” his father answered, with an easy-going smile. “Not to worry. You go enjoy a coffee and I’ll call you when I’ve finished the interview.” 

Prompto watched his father cross the parking lot and enter through the front doors and sat back in the driver’s seat. His phone chimed as Luna called, and he picked it up. “Hey,” he greeted. 

“Prompto, dear,” she greeted with the usual warmth. But there was an off-note in her voice. “How are you?” 

“I’m okay,” he said tiredly. “Just… Dad really wants me to take this job. It’s such a good opportunity.” 

She inhaled deeply. “Prompto, you simply can’t move back to Niflheim to be work with your father. It’s not _safe_.” He frowned just a little at that. “I know you’re concerned, Luna. But things are calming down there now. It’s not a war zone.” 

“It’s dangerous,” she whispered, “you could _die_.”

“I could die crossing the road,” he pointed out. “But… I know you’re worried. I get it.” 

“Where are you now, dear?” She asked, with just the slightest air of impatience. 

“In the car. I just dropped Dad off to his job interview at the Citadel Academy.” 

“Why don’t you meet me now?” She asked. “We’ll go to Organyx. My treat.” 

He chuckled. “Yeah, okay,” he agreed. “I’ll head over there now.” He was never going to pass up a free Coctivus meal. At least not while he still could. 

They said their goodbyes and hung up, and he turned to loose the parking brake when he saw his father’s portfolio wedged in the gap between the passenger door. He laughed and shook his head, digging it out. He’d just take it in to him and _then_ he’d leave to meet Luna for dinner. He’d only be five minutes. 

He turned off and locked the car, shivering in the cool wind as he hurried across the carpark. It reminded him of the school days, too early for it to be properly warm yet, hurrying in to find Luna and a warm spot to defrost. 

It was eerily quiet inside, especially when he was so used to it being bustling with energy. Where was his dad meeting these magazine guys? He turned down the main corridor when he heard voices. He froze as he recognised them, and found himself wedging his body between locker blocks to hide as their footsteps approached. 

“Prompto is on his way to Organyx,” Luna was telling them. “He’ll be out of the way. Don’t worry, Noctis.” 

“I should have spoken to him first,” and yeah, that was Noct, his ex. “He still doesn’t know why I left for Altissia.” 

“There’ll be time afterward,” was that _Gladio_? Why was he hanging out with those two. 

“The important thing,” and that was Coctivus, “is that we take care of Ardyn first. Everything else can wait.” 

Prompto stared at their backs as they passed his hiding spot – the four of them, Ravus, and Nyx too. All his friends and… _wait, what did they mean **take care** of his father_?

He hurried after them, as quiet as he could. They passed into the Great Hall, what used to be the old throne room. Right, maybe not through the main door – but they had side entrances. He hurried down another corridor, round to the side and into the wings. He was hidden behind the thick heavy drapes – and he parted it just slightly to peek out. 

His father was sitting _on_ the old throne – the smashed remains of the preserving glass around him. He looked down at the group of younger people, and there was something Prompto didn’t like about his expression. 

“Please,” Luna was saying, her voice regal and strong. “Ardyn, the world has formed this way for a reason. Take this opportunity. Give up your vengeance, grant yourself piece.” 

His father laughed, and the sound of it was grating down Prompto’s spine. “I would rather kill Prompto a thousand times than let any of you enjoy a happy life!” 

Prompto’s breath escaped his lungs in a painful gasp. He reached to cover his mouth so no one could hear it. _He can’t have heard that correctly. His father couldn’t want to… kill him_.

“Then you leave us no choice.” Noct sounded nothing like himself. He sounded strong, resolved – and _holy shit_ was that a **gods’ damned sword?**

****

His father rose to his feet, and all at once the air around him seemed to ripple. The business-smart suit disappeared, and instead he was dressed in a white-and-black cloak. Aaaand….that was a sword in _his_ hand too? 

****

This had to be some sort of weird nightmare. He wasn’t watching his father stand, descend the steps, and fight with his ex-boyfriend. This was all weird dream symbolism right? 

****

They were evenly matched in sword-skills, but just as Noctis seemed to flagging, he held up his hand and a strange burst of light exploded from it. It struck down his father, burning up the illusion of his strange clothing until he was back to normal, leaning heavily on his sword. 

****

“You fool,” he growled, his voice sounding twisted and demonic. He lurched forward and grabbed Noctis’s hand, holding it in a tight grip. “You think this pathetic little gathering of power can defeat me? It took a thousand years of kings to banish me before!” 

****

Prompto watched as his father ripped something glowing off Noct’s hand, their skin bubbling and blistering, and toss it aside. It bounced and landed between Prompto’s shoes. He reached down to pick it up, confused. The curtain fell closed, but the muffled sounds of everyone fighting clanged in his ears. 

****

It was a ring. Just a small, black ring with a white crystal inside. It was heavy in the palm of his hand, hot but slowly cooling against his skin. Huh. Where had he seen this before? He turned it over in his hand – oh. Right. The museum display he’d taken Dino to. It looked like the Ring of the Lucii. 

****

He heard Luna cry out in pain, and his heart thumped. He parted the curtain again to look out at her. She was kneeling on the ground, the white fabric of her shirt soaking through with blood. Ulric Nox was by her side, helping her to her feet. “I’m okay,” she said. “Just a scratch.” 

****

Ravus had his father pinned to the stairs, his eyes ablaze with anger, Noctis’s sword in his hand. 

****

“Stop!” 

****

It took everyone freezing for him to realise it was _him_ that had cried out. Gladio ripped the curtain down, and it was suddenly bright, and they all looked at him with various levels of guilt in their eyes. 

****

His father grasped a weak hand out towards him, his voice raspy. “Prompto,” he gasped out, “my boy. _Help me_.” 

****

He shoved Ravus out of the way – the taller man just stumbling aside easily. He knelt down beside his father, but didn’t take his hand. He felt numb. “I always knew you were a bad person,” he said, his voice quiet. “Uncle Cor told me, you know? That you were a spy for the Niflheim government, how you killed my mother. I thought you’d changed. I thought you cared about me.” 

****

“Prompto…” His father said weakly. 

****

“But I never thought you’d go so far as to kill me.” He stood, looking down at him. “I want you to go away, Ardyn Leonis. I want you to go away and never come back.” 

****

His father’s expression became stony, and emotionless. Then he grabbed his sword from the ground and fled the throne room. It was awkward and silent in his wake. 

****

“Prompto.” Luna’s voice was soft, concerned. Her gentle hand touched his shoulder, but he yanked it away from her touch. 

****

He glared at all of them. “I don’t know what kind of game you all are playing,” he said quietly. “Whether you used to me to draw him out, or whatever -”

****

“Prompto, that’s not,” she began quietly. 

****

He shook his head, not letting her finished. “Count me out. I don’t want to see any of you again.” He walked towards the main doors – but paused as he came to Noct. Gods, no wonder he’d been getting such mixed messages from the actor. He’d never cared about him at all. 

****

He flicked the ring in his direction, but Gladio’s hand darted out to grab it reflexively before it hit the actor. "Especially not you,” he said finally, and then left. 

****

Most of them called his name, with different edges of desperation. But he ignored them all. He couldn’t take anything more tonight. He climbed in his Dad’s car and didn’t stop driving until he reached the water at Galdin Quay.

****


	25. Annual

“These are fantastic,” Vyv announced. One hand was waving frantically to try and give himself some cool air in the hot, humid heat of Lestallum. “I gotta admit, Prompto, when you disappeared, I thought I’d lost you. Never thought you’d reappear with gold like this.”

Prompto looked away from him. “Yeah… I’m sorry about that,” he murmured. 

“Don’t be,” Vyv said enthusiastically. “This more than makes up for it.” He held up the tablet – filled with Prompto’s photographs and his notes on them. 

“Yeah, okay.” He shoved his hands in his pocket. “I guess you can do whatever you want with ‘em. A column, or a one-off exclusive. I know you’ll credit me properly.” 

“Credit you properly?” Vyv asked. “Prompto Leonis, I’m gonna make you famous.” 

He frowned and scratched the scraggly, ugly beard he had growing out on his chin. “Huh? Why?” He asked dubiously. 

“A photo journey in _Niflheim_ , on foot – the borders have been closed for centuries. Nobody has been able to get a look like this. I think I’ll call it the Leonis Photoepic.” 

He shrugged. “Fine. Do what you want.” He slung his backpack over his shoulder. “I’ll have something else for you to print again soon.” 

Vyv looked at him in concern. “You’re going travelling again?” He asked. 

He shrugged. “I’ve got an archaeologist who’s found the original ruins of Altissia. They can’t afford a photographer, but I thought it sounded like a good experience.” 

Vyv looked eager at that. “Have them call me,” he suggested. “If they want to sign an exclusive, I’ll outfit you with a diving camera.” 

He just shrugged. “I’ll give them your number.” He looked about the city, an odd feeling twisting in his chest. “What is this festival even about anyway?” 

“A legendary assassin,” Vyv explained. “It’s been going since King Noctis’s time. I could use a few photos if you’re hanging around tonight.” 

Prompto considered, and then nodded. He could use the money. 

  


The festival was fun, actually. He tagged around with a cosplay group who were solving the riddles and all sorts. But after dark, The Assassin’s Game started – everyone was equipped with a censor on their back and a bracelet; and you had to go ‘assassinate’ as many people as you could. There was prizes for most killed, and last remaining, and stuff like that. 

But this weird sense of déjà vu never passed. He’d catch a voice just out of hearing range, but when he turned to look there was nothing there. He could swear he heard things, but could never place them. 

“ _Hey, did you see that stylish blond walking around town?_ ” A voice teased at his ear, as he went to find a good vantage point for the game. Turned his head, no speaker close enough. 

“ _Did I? He’s cute – and he has a nice camera!_ ” Flushing, he glanced down at the camera, and then tried to find the second speaker too. 

“ _I know – I’m so jealous. I wanted to ask where he got it, but just can’t work up the nerve to talk to him…_ ” The first voice again, but this one seemed to blur and echo out like it was nothing. 

He shook his head rapidly and climbed up to the top of a building through the fire stairs, settling with a good bird’s eye view of a lot of the streets. 

He watched the players dance across the town, running and hiding and attacking, laughter and outrage in the air. He snapped a few pics, smiling to himself. But an odd feeling crossed his chest as he watched a masked assassin fall under a stealthy bin-attack. 

“ _They bring these troopers to life just to let ‘em die,_ ” a voice teased, strange and echoed like it came from under water. “ _It’s kinda sad… y’know?_ ”

Another voice, painfully familiar, and clearer this time too. “ _What’s so sad about a bunch of robots getting their circuits fried?_ ” The voice was light, playful. 

But the first voice was inflected with a strange emotion. “ _…Robots. Right._ ”

He shook his head rapidly, glancing around. The acoustics in this town must be insane. Sometimes it felt like the voices were coming from right beside him. 

Before he could really think about it, a figure vaulted over the edge of the roof – and he cried out in surprise. He held up his hands, camera raised. “No tech! Not a player!” 

There was a short pause. “… _Prompto_?”

Their face was obscured in the dim light, and the hood pulled up only case a deep shadow over his profile. The voice was familiar, but he couldn’t pick it. “Uh. Yeah. That’s me.” 

There was a visible tension in their body, but it eased a little. “You’re, uh. You’re working the Assassin’s Festival, huh?” It was casual, calm, and laden with a thousand other questions. 

“I was in town for a meeting,” he answered. “Didn’t even know this was a thing, but the boss needed some pics. So… here I am.” 

“Cool.” They sounded way too calm, fake-calm. They were dressed in a carefully hand-made Assassin cosplay, but it looked almost antique. Maybe that was the style of it? Not Lestal, like some of the others, but the other white-robed kind people were wearing. “I, uh. I better get back to the game.” 

Prompto nodded. “Yeah. I should get back to work.” Though he had way more than enough. 

They lingered a moment, nodded underneath the hood, and then raced away across the roof. His breath caught in shock as they straight up _jumped off_ the roof! He rushed over to check they were okay, and caught sight of a white blur disappearing into a strategically placed haystack. Oh, right. He must’ve known that would be there. 

He relaxed back, taking a few more photos of the banners and such in the win. He headed to the awards afterwards, taking a few shots. The winners were hooded and masked, in Lestal cosplays – a big, tall and wide one named ‘The Amicitia Shield’ won the last man standing; and a slender, thinner one called ‘The Assassin’s Advisor’ had won the most kills. But they both handed their prizes off to some eager children who were standing excitedly at the front of the line. 

Prompto chuckled and yawned. Time to go – but he should get a shot of The Leap tower before he checked in with Vyv and handed back the magazine’s camera. He climbed up to stand in front of the big billboard and crouched to get a good shot. It wouldn’t all fit in one, but he took a couple – from base to the very tip. 

He startled as he used the zoom lens on the top of the tower. What he had thought was a statue of Lestal at the very top was… a _person_? Wait, was that the one from before who had recognised him? 

He snapped a few shots of them, but the wind shifted – a cloud parted and threw stark white light over the figure, as the wind blew the hood back just a bit. He almost dropped the camera, staring through the lens at _Noctis_ standing there. Noctis King. Caelum Lucii. 

_How hadn’t he recognised that voice at once?_

But Noctis caught sight of him too – gave a curl of a smirk, an odd salute in acknowledgement. _And then leaped straight off the top of the tower_. 

Heart racing in his chest, he scrambled off the building and ran as fast as he could to the stone wall behind the tower. He bent over, expecting to see a splattered figure on the ground… but instead, The Shield and The Advisor – or whatever their pseudonyms were – were there, the latter helping Noctis out of the…haystack. 

“You really are getting far too old for these sorts of antics, Noct,” said the Advisor… but that voice. That was _Ignis Coctivus_.

Somehow, he knew the third person was Gladio. Fuck, it would all make goddamn sense. They’d used him a year ago to do…something with his father. They’d probably been friends the whole time. 

Hidden in the base of the tower, he heard them coming back up the ramp. “…there’s still a couple hours before the festival finishes. He’s working, he won’t leave before then…” Noct was saying. 

Oh good. They’d be bound up with trouble for a while. He tapped a nearby girl on the shoulder and pointed out their group. “Did you see that? Caelum Lucii, Ignis Coctivus _and_ Gladius Armum all here together!” 

It worked. In five minutes he saw them crowded by excited fans and people just wanting to get a picture of them in costume. Prompto stole that opportunity to climb back into his Dad’s car and gun it out of the city. He’d email the photos to Vyv tonight and send the camera back. There was no way he was going back to Lestallum now.


	26. Submerged

Altissia - or, well… Old Altissia now. It had once been a city married to the sea, until a fight between the gods of sea and the earth fought and sunk it back into the waters. Or so the myth went - History suggested that it had been an epic fight between The Empire and King Noctis’s armies. 

Either way, the glorious city of culture and light had been lost to the sea, and Altissia - the new Altissia - had been built on an island elsewhere in Accordo. It had been lost to time but now, it was found again. 

And Prompto was the one who was going to photograph it. Vyv was going to publish it - but not in the magazine. As Part 2 of the _Prompto Leonis Photoepic_. Oh the sneak peeks were an exclusive for his pet publication Meteor, but there would be two books. “And maybe more! That’s up to your and your camera!” 

The water was freezing cold. It didn’t touch his skin, but the waterproof diving suit was icy against his skin. It pressed close, more proof he wasn’t above the ground. They were weighted down, and the diving cage lowered them and their equipment down to the sunken city. They each had chocoboPro cameras on their heads to capture video footage of their exploration - but the high tech underwater camera was the real star of the show. 

He wasn’t sparing with his images, walking along the slippery roads patched with algae and kelp. Being underwater was the strangest sensation - his camera assistant (he had an _assistant_!) carried a floodlight with him to light it up what he gestured to, but the lighting just felt wrong. 

It was a terrifying almost - a ghost town swallowed by the elements. Sometimes he could swear he thought he saw people walking down the streets. But they never were. 

He came into a street and paused, watching bubbles escape through a cracked shop window. He gestured his assistant over to it, and they approached. It was a sort of window display or something, that apparently had only recently been flooded if the escaping bubbles meant anything. There was a dress floating in the window. A gorgeous white wedding gown, the silk drifting in the water. 

His stomach twisted - was it grief? Its bride would never wear it, never get the happy life she dreamed off when she looked on the fabric. 

He took a lot of photographs of the dress floating in fabric until it is swept away by an invisible current. There was an oil painting inside but the face was blurred and indistinguishable. He saw blond hair, the hint of a smile; the shape of the face was beautiful. 

There was a painful lump in his throat, but he tried to ignore it. Then he nodded to his assistant, and they move on through the city. The lead archaeologist catches their attention and takes them around to his best finds, his explanations crackly in their ears. 

They weren’t allowed to stay down for more than two hours, and they were all reluctant to leave in time before the oxygen tanks ran out. 

  


Once back on the boat, Prompto dressed back into his normal clothes, hung up the drysuit. He asked for an hour on the satellite network - and waited for Iris to come online. 

She was way more excited than he was about the wedding dress, when he sent her the photo through the communication program. “Prompto, don’t you know what that is?” She asked in disbelief. 

“...no?” 

She looked at him almost unforgivingly. “Prompto,” she said, her voice heavy with disappointment. “That’s _the_ wedding dress. The Oracle’s Dress! You must’ve found the memorial exhibit!” 

The information made his stomach twist in an unknown feeling. “Oh. So it’s important?” He asked absently. 

“Only the most important fashion discovery in five hundred years!” she cried. “Oh my god Prompto, can I have the photo to hang up in the museum? _Please_?” 

He’s surprised she even has to ask. “Of course,” he said. “You think I’d keep something like this away from you? What do you take me for?” 

She sighed. “Well… you did disappear for an entire year without telling anyone where you were going or why.” 

He looked away from the little square box she took up in the screen of the chunky computer. “I’ve gotta go, Iris,” he announced. “I only had an hour and there’s other people waiting. I’ll…” He paused and sighed. “I’ll let you know when I’m back on dry land, okay?” 

She’s not happy, but she does say goodbye without argument. Once Prompto heads out, they’re plotting the next dive – to gather artefacts in the places he’s already photographed. 

He paused, and looks at them. “Can I come with you?” 

  


Six weeks later, a package from Accordo is delivered to the Fashion Museum of Insomnia. It’s a heavy tank, filled with sea water, and packed with ancient Altissian fashions. There’s a notebook, filled to the brim with locations each plastic-tagged item was located, the water quality and temperature where they were found. 

The note on the last page in a familiar digital pen is not an apology. It just says _You know how to do clothes restoration right?_


	27. Arrest

“The King of Niflheim is charging you with treason, espionage, exposing government secrets and trespassing on restricted property. They have requested permission to extradite you from Accordo territiories, and we have a policy to co-operate with all legal requests from the governments we are in alliance with.”

Prompto looked up at the woman. He’d just arrived back in Altissia from their dive, and he’d immediately been taken into custody. The mayor of the city – who had only introduced herself as Madame Mayor – was an unrelenting woman with her aging face set in stone. 

“They will kill me,” he stated. “You know that’s what they do with their political prisoners. You know that _because_ of me. Because of the book they’re charging me over.” 

‘ _The Prompto Leonis Photoepic, Volume One: The Locked Empire_ ’ had only been on sale for _one day_ and it had already threatened his life. 

Madame Mayor looked unimpressed. “As a citizen of Niflheim, you are subject to their jurisdiction. It isn’t in Accordo’s interests to come between their justice system and the accused.” 

“I want a lawyer,” he mumbled. 

“If Niflheim permits your case a legal representation, then you may request one once in their custody.” She rose to her feet, smoothing down the decorative fabric of the skirt of her sensible business suit. 

Once she left, he fumbled for his smartphone he’d stashed in his boot. He ignored the messages from the diving unit, closing them away and opening a message to Vyv. “ _I am being arrested for treason because you put my name on the book. Accordo is going to extradite tomorrow. DO SOMETHING._ ”

He called Cor, but it went straight to voicemail. He was frantic and teary as he told him what was happening, terrified he was going to die. But it beeped signaling he’d gone over the time limit. 

Next, he tried Luna. But the call rang out and hit voicemail to. “Oh, gods, Lulu,” he sobbed, feeling the overwhelming panic crash over him. “Lulu I’m going to die.” He sobbed into the phone before it to ran out of time. 

Oh, gods. Who would _answer_ his call at this time of night? Gladio, maybe? But his phone just beeped – he had voicemail disabled because of all the abuse he had to cull through. 

He trembled, but stared down at his phone screen. He scrolled through his short contact list, swallowing anxiously, and hitting the button to call a number he’d had blocked for over a year. 

It picked up on the first ring. “Prompto?” 

“Noct…”

“Prompto! What’s wrong? You’re crying.” He couldn’t answer, shaking with panic and tight sobs gripping his throat. “Prompto, please,” his voice was so gentle, but scared. “What’s happened?” 

“They published my book,” he managed out. 

“I know,” Noctis replied softly, “I bought it. I’m so proud of you, Prompto. Those photos are gorgeous.” 

A hysterical laugh bubbled out. Just one. “Did you like page 203?” 

There was a lot of movement on the other side of the line, before the sounds of riffling book pages. Who bought physical _books_ these days anyway? “Oh fuck. That’s brutal. That’s what the disturbing images warning on the front page was for.” 

Prompto laughed again, gripping the phone. “Yeah. Turns out the Niflheim government doesn’t like it when you publish photos of their detention camps and the execution of political prisoners.” 

A quick, fast movement. Like Noctis had sat up in the bed. “Prompto?” 

“Did you know Accordo extradites prisoners back to Niflheim?” How the hell did he manage to sound so calm about it. “So. Guess taking those photos was a bit precognitive.” 

“ **Fuck** ,” Noctis hissed. More movement, and the smack of something soft making impact. “Gladio, wake the _fuck_ up.” 

“You’re busy. I’ll go.” Of course Noctis was busy. Why would he _care_ what happened to Prompto?

“Shiva, no,” Noctis said. “Don’t hang up, Prompto. Listen, we’re not going to let this happen. Gladio **wake up** you hardass!” 

There was a jangle of keys and the door was wrenched open. “Hey! You can’t use that!” One of the police guards shouted. 

”Shit,” Prompto whispered. But whatever Noctis said in reply, he didn’t get to hear. The guards came in, surrounded him, and hit him until he dropped the phone. They dragged him out roughly, patted him down for anything more, and then locked him in a cell. He curled up on the lumpy mattress and sighed. Vyv had to do _something_.

  


“No extradition! Give Leonis freedom! No extradition! Give Leonis freedom!” The strange rhyming chant penetrated his panicky half-sleep. He sat up, confused and squinted at the wavering light coming through the barred windows. 

There was a crowd of protesters, shouting and thrusting signs towards the magistrate’s building. “Hey,” he called to one of the protestors nearby over. “What’s going on?” 

“It’s him!” the protester yelled, pointing frantically in his direction. “It’s Leonis! He’s here!” 

A photographer rushed over to take photos of him in the cell window, and stepped aside or a camera crew with a news reporter. She knelt down to hold the microphone in his face. “Prompto Leonis, do you have anything to comment for the public?” 

He looked bewildered. “What’s going on? What’s everyone doing here?” He sounded as half-asleep as he felt. 

She said it aloud, like she was recording a soundbite. Maybe she was. “Crowds are gathered here to protest the mayor’s decision to extradite you to Niflheim to face charges for your photographs published yesterday morning. Do you have anything to comment?” 

“I don’t wanna die,” he said, feeling overwhelmed and upset. “If I’m handed over to Niflheim, I will be killed for taking photographs of the situation there and publishing it for the world to see. I will be killed for taking photos of the situation I’m about to be put into because Accordo doesn’t want to leave its trading deals with Niflheim.” 

The small crowd was horrified at that. But a group of guards quickly came by to shoe them off – they didn’t leave entirely, but they were forced behind a barrier a certain distance away from the property. 

The cell door slammed open a few hours later, a guard entering just before Madame Mayor. Her cold expression was even more stony and icy. She threw a newspaper at his feet, and stared him down until he picked it up. It was an express edition – only a few pages long. ‘ _I WILL BE KILLED_ ’ the headline screamed, above a huge photograph of him inside the barred windows. In smaller print underneath the photo: ‘ _photojournalist imprisoned awaiting extradition to Niflheim for exposing political crimes in best seller_ ’. He skimmed over the article, with some bigger chunks of text: “I will be killed … because Accordo doesn’t want to leave its trading deals with Niflheim.” He mumbled aloud. Right. He remembered saying that. Kinda. 

“You’re giving me a world of trouble, Prompto Leonis.” 

He grinned, but it felt lopsided. “Gotta do something before I die, right? No point going quietly when you’re about to be executed.” 

Her expression twitched, but remained as unreadable as ever. “Quiet and unobtrusive are the ways Accordo survives and thrives. You’re causing too much noise.” 

He shrugged. “I’m not sorry and I’m not going to apologise. You’re handing me over to get murdered.” 

“The council of Lucian Descendents and the emergency sitting of parliament have come to an agreement. You’ve been granted sanctuary. They have sworn not to hand you over to Niflheim. And to place you under political asylum.” A slight smile crossed her lips. “Your life is saved, Niflheim’s crimes have been exposed, we maintain our trading contracts with both nations, you return to your life in Lucis, your book gets a boost in sales. I believe, that’s what we call a _win-win_.”

He gaped at her. “You crafty…politician.” He said eventually. 

“Indeed. Now. A political envoy is on its way to escort you to the Lucian embassy until the boat arrives. Get out of my sight, you troublemaker.” 

“Thank you Madame Mayor.”


	28. Departure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.

Prompto looked guiltily at his envoy as he was handed, still cuffed, over to her supervision. “Lulu…” 

“ _Don’t_ you Lulu me, Prompto Leonis,” Luna Freya scolded, her arms folded impatiently. “ _Eighteen months_. You haven’t answered my calls or returned my emails for **one and a half years**!”

“I needed a break,” he said holding his hands up defensively. He couldn’t move them more than six inches apart, but still. “I just found out my dad was only hanging around to kill me, and that all my friends were working together to trap him. You’d want a break too.” 

Her expression melted just a little. “Prompto,” she said softly, “you know it wasn’t some plot, right? We didn’t only befriend you to trap Ardyn. We teamed up to save you from him.” 

He shrugged one shoulder. “No, I didn’t really know that,” he said quietly. “But it’s good to know.” 

She pulled him into a tight hug, holding him to her small body with a fierce strength. “You idiot.” 

He chuckled. “That’s more like it, Lulu.” 

She pulled away and gave a faint smile. “Come on then. I have a surprise for you on the boat.” 

He grinned and eagerly followed her towards the dock. As soon as they reached the boat, he saw what it was. 

Noctis King was standing at the top of the gang plank. He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept all night and day. But as soon as he saw Prompto, his face shifted into an absolutely gorgeous smile. _He was so gods’ blessed beautiful._

Prompto’s heart was racing in his ears. He couldn’t hear the sounds of the bustling city around him, there was only him – and Noctis slowly descending the gang plank. 

One sound ripped through the air, the bubble bursting between them. An explosion. Firework? Engine blowing up? No. Gunshot. He dropped his eyes down, watching the red spilling over his shirt and down his torso. “Ow,” he said absently. 

Then the pain slammed into him all at once, knees buckling as he plummeted down to the floor. Arms – strong, familiar – caught him before he hit the hard surface of the docks. He was lowered onto something soft – a lap? One glance up saw Noctis’s face – not so beautiful now, twisted up in rage. 

He followed Noct’s eyeline, until he saw the figure standing on the other side of the gang plank. The red red hair struck him first, before the face came into his attention. “Dad?” He croaked, confused. 

He held in his hand a pistol, something ancient, antique. It was pointed directly at him, but as they all watched, he lifted it to point to the sky. A mocking smirk crossed his lips. “Oh dear,” he said, his voice too soft, too casual. “Look what you made me do.” 

“Ardyn!” Noctis screamed, a universe of hatred twisted in those two syllables. 

Something wet was dripping on his face, and he looked around frantically to see where it came from. Luna, his oldest friend. She was crying, and she rested his head against her chest. He absently thought she’d get blood on her pretty white dress. 

“No, no,” she was mumbling. “Not again...” 

_Again?_ What did she mean by that? He gave a lopsided smile up at her. “Wish I had my camera,” he said, confused about why his voice was slurring so badly. “You’re so beautiful, even when you cry.” 

Shouting caught his attention, and his dad was being wrestled into submission by some of the Altissian guards. Then he was just _so tired_ and he let his eyes slip closed. 

A hand slapping the fat of his cheeks, just lightly, roused him. He looked blurrily into Noct’s face, and a brief smile crossed his lips. “Noct.” 

Why was he crying? He didn’t look as beautiful when he was crying like that, his face red and eyes puffy. 

“Prompto,” he sobbed, clutching him close. Where had Luna gone? “Prompto don’t. Don’t go. Not now. We’ve just found each other.” He sound hysterical. 

Prompto reached up and gently patted one of his cheeks. “Aw, it’s okay Noctis,” he said – and wow was that his voice? It sounded so weak. “We’ll find each other again.” 

Noct shook violently with a sob, clutching him closer. “Prompto.” 

“Noctis.” 

The actor shuddered, resting their foreheads together. “I love you,” he said. That was nice to know. “I’ve always loved you. I’ll wait for you, as long as it takes.” 

Why? Where was he going? He nudged Noctis so he’d pull back to look at him, and gave him a reassuring smile. “Same.” 

Noctis kissed him, and why did it feel so emotionally charged? Eventually, they parted and Prompto hummed. “It’s really cold.” 

And the last thing he heard was his name being screamed. Twisted up in a so much pain and rage and sorrow. And then, there was nothing.


	29. Grief

Luna sat across the polished metal table, seamless, looking at the only person she truly hated. Ardyn looked too peaceful, hands cuffed to the table, dressed in a garish orange jumpsuit. “You’re a monster,” she told him, with total conviction. 

He nodded. Still calm, still serene. “I am, indeed.” 

“How could you do it?” She demanded, her voice harsh. 

He looked away from her, drumming his fingers on the table as he sat in contemplation for a long minute. When he looked back at her and spoke, it wasn’t to answer her question. “In two thousand years, I’ve been devoted to vengeance. To the line of my brother, to those who benefited from his betrayal, from my failure. And then, to the ones who defeated me. You, Noctis, his idiot friends. For the last thousand years, all I have done is carry out my vengeance and watch you all suffer. Kill the sharpshot, make the shield watch, then kill him too while he was screaming for mercy – then watching the hope die in the prince and his advisor’s eyes as they realised this wouldn’t be the life either.” 

She looked away from him, stomach twisting with hatred. She wasn’t a violent person, but she wished she had a weapon just then and there. 

He waited until his silence had her looking back at him to speak again. “In two thousand years, the only joy I have ever known was to see that boy, my son, look at me with love in his eyes. The moment I held him in my arms, when he was just a babe, and he looked up at me and smiled...” He shivered. “It was the only moment I have ever regretted what I had sworn to do.” 

“But not enough to stop.” 

He chuckled. “No. Never that.” He drummed his fingers again to a long-lost beat. “There was a reason I sent him to live with The Immortal, you know,” he said. “Not for his safety. For my wellbeing. How could I kill someone I loved, my own flesh and blood, and live with myself? The answer used to be that I couldn’t. I couldn’t kill him.” 

She scoffed in disgust, disbelief. 

“But I never intended to let them have the reunion they wanted. When I saw the photographs, that ridiculous photoshoot about the legendary king, I knew I had failed. I had to fix the problem. Not through Prompto’s death, no even I couldn’t bring myself to do that once they’d met. But I would keep them apart with all my power. It almost worked too, Prompto was going to leave with me forever.” 

“We were never going to let you take him,” she replied coolly. 

“No. But you did manage to turn him against me. I hated all of you anew – all I could remember was the betrayal in my _son_ ’s eyes, because of you all.” He gave a bitter laugh then. “I had to leave then. Because you’d all driven me to what I had never thought I was capable of doing in this life. You made me capable of killing my son.” 

She took a deep breath, refusing his accusations, refusing to take responsibilty for his cruelty. 

“So I went back to Niflheim, to the career he found so despicable. And then that idiot boy pissed off the king, _published_ photographs of their kingdom for their enemies to see. It was up to me, or bathing the entire city of Insomnia in flames until everyone was dead.” He gave a little bitter laugh. “So I killed my son. To save a city of people I couldn’t care less about.” He laughed again, his voice just a little unhinged. “He turned me into a _good person_ , Lunafreya. And now? Now I have a lifetime imprisonment to regret what I’ve done. You couldn’t have plotted a better vengeance if you’d tried.” 

“Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?” She asked coolly. “Two thousand years and you finally feel regret for what you’ve done. Good.” 

He reached forward, and patted the back of her hand. “You’ve won, Lunafreya. You and Noctis and all the others. I don’t want vengeance any more. I want _peace_.” He laughed again, bitter. “I want my son to smile at me again, and love me like the father I never got to be.” 

She stood up. “A fitting punishment,” she replied coldly, and turned to leave him alone. For the rest of his life. 

... 

Ignis stepped into the room, watching Gladius. He was punching, over and over and over again, the busted punching bag. The bandages around his knuckles were filthy with sweat, pus and blood. He’d been at it for too long... Ignis had gone to take care of Noctis, but he suspected Gladius had been here since he heard the news. The news of Prompto’s _death_. His _assassination_.

“Gladius,” he called, his own voice husky and tired. “You need to stop.” 

The larger man didn’t answer. Smack. Smack. Smack. More beans on the ground. 

Ignis sighed and came over, taking his wrists and pulling him away from the gym. Once they were in the locker room, Ignis carefully tended to his hands with the gym’s first aid kit. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you,” he apologised, pinning the bandages in place. “Noctis was... a mess.” 

Gladius just grunted. “It’s fine. You care about him.” 

“I care about you too, Gladius.” 

He just grunted again. No more words. 

Ignis was wrapping up the second hand when he saw dark spots appearing on the white gauze. He glanced up and saw fat, silent tears rolling down his face and dropping onto the bandages. “Oh, Gladio...” 

“He was my only friend,” he said, his voice husky and laden with grief. “The only person I would never sleep with. Never wreck our relationship in that way. He never used me, and I never used him. He was my _friend_.” He shuddered with a few heavily, silent sobs. “I didn’t feel so _alone_ when he was around. He shut up the void that lived inside me that I couldn’t fill with sex and fame.” 

Ignis no longer restrained his urges. He pulled the man down, cradling him carefully in his arms. “It’s alright, Gladio,” he murmured, running his hair through the long hair at the top of his head. “I’m not abandoning you, and nor will Noct.” He kissed the sweaty forehead. “You don’t have to be alone. You can always come to us.” 

He wasn’t trying to twist this, but in a smooth movement, Gladius had him laid down on the bench, their lips smashing together. He groaned, let himself melt into the kiss for a long moment. 

But he did force himself to pull away. “Gladius, you’re _grieving_. You don’t really want—”

“Please,” he interrupted, gripping bandaged hands tightly around Ignis’s hips. “Please. I need you. I need you to make it stop.” 

Ignis kissed him softly. “Okay.” But in a quick move, he had the taller man pinned underneath him. “But this time I’m on top.” 

Something _flashed_ through Gladius’s eyes, and then they widened, looking up at him. “Ignis?” 

He tilted his head, uncertain about the tone in his voice. “Yes?” 

“ _Iggy_?”

He frowned slightly. “Yes...?” 

Gladio yanked him down, slamming their lips together in something biting, desperate, longing. “Ignis _Scientia_ ,” he hissed against his lips. “You’ve _waited_ for me?” 

It struck him hard and he sat upright. Shocked. “You remember.” 

“I _remember_!” But the joy seemed to drain out of his eyes. “Oh, gods. _Prompto_.” And then he was crying, wracked with grief this time. Sobs loud, shaking uncontrolled. 

Ignis held him tightly, gave his skin soft kisses of comfort, his own tears soaking into whatever they fell. They just clung to each other, and felt a thousand years of grief together.

… 

Noctis stood at the lake in the botanical gardens. He’d seen Prompto here. For the first time in a thousand years. Gods, he’d had so much hope. 

He couldn’t cry. He’d done nothing but cry since Prompto had... 

He swallowed a painful lump in his throat. He would probably still be crying. He _wanted_ to cry. But he felt all dried up. Drained and gone like a husk in the Leide desert. 

“I suspected I would find you here.” 

He glanced over his shoulder. Cor Leonis, no... Cor Genji, was stood on the first plank of the fishing dock. He looked heavy, aged twenty years. Just like you’d expect someone to look after their son had died, suddenly, tragically. Just when everyone had expected him to be safe. 

“Cor,” he said, his own voice rough. “I’m so sorry for your—” 

“You too.” Cor had never been one for words. “I was packing up his things,” he said. “I thought you might want to keep something.” 

A painful feeling clenched his chest. “You don’t have to...” He trailed off. Huh. Thought he couldn’t cry any more. “We only knew each other for a few weeks, really.” 

Cor shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yeah. But he never cared about anyone in the way he did about you. It’s like he was waiting his whole life for you.” 

He broke, and when he came back to himself, Cor was holding him in a tight embrace, running his hand down his back. “It’s okay, kid. It’s gonna be okay.” 

Cor drove him home, and Ignis and Gladio helped him back up to the apartment. They settled him in Ignis’s den, amongst the furniture they’d salvaged centuries ago from their own apartments. And the portrait across the wall. A priceless Prompto Argentum original. 

He couldn’t even feel happy that Gladio remembered now, when they told him. Because maybe Prompto could’ve remembered too. If he’d had the time. 

Ignis stroked fingers through his hair. “He’s held the ring now, Noctis,” he murmured to him. “Maybe in his next life he will remember.” 

He closed his eyes. “Don’t, Specs. Just don’t.” 

He fell asleep there, with his old friends, with another lifetime alone ahead of him.


	30. Epilogue

He was ten. About the age when it started to make sense to him who he had used to be, what the last eleven-hundred years had been, and what he would be waiting for in this life. Noctis Izunia in this life, the son of someone who he was just learning he had always hated.

“Come, Noct,” Ardyn’s – his dad’s gentle voice caught his attention. “We’re going to the park.” 

He frowned. It was too early for them to go pick Regis up from homework school. But he stood, gave his father a guarded look, and came to his side. 

They walked quietly to the park, the affectionate relationship between them was straining as the years went on. As he remembered more and more what Ardyn had been in the other lives before he was his father. 

Sometimes he came to see Ignis at the park. Ignis didn’t remember this time, and neither did his ‘best friend ever!’ Gladiolus. Had the curse, or whatever it had been, broken when they’d reunited in the last life. Would he have that to look forward to in another thousand years when he was allowed to see Prompto again? 

“Here we are,” Ardyn, his father, said, once they arrived at the play park. “Go on then.” 

He gave a put-upon sigh, and headed towards the playground. 

A voice reached his ears, and his heart seized in his chest just from hearing it. “Lulu!” a childish voice called – no older than his own. A chubby, blond haired boy with glasses on his face and a camera in his hand, was racing after an older girl with long blond braids. “Lulu wait for me!” 

“Prompto...” He breathed. He darted a terrified look back at Ardyn – would he make him witness his death again in this life too? Was this his new vengeance? 

But his father just gave him a sad, reassuring smile and gestured to the boy. _Go on_.

Was he...? He raced over to the boy’s side. “Prompto!” 

The kid looked up at him, confused. “Um. Hello.” He pushed up his glasses, shy. “I’m Prompto. Prompto Flauret.” 

He glanced over at Luna, and she stood underneath a tree, frozen. But expectant, joyous. She remembered too, then. 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Noctis. Noctis Izunia.” 

“Nice to meet yOU!” The last word turned into a shout, as Prompto tripped over, landing face-first on the grass. Noctis offered a hand down to help him, and the boy looked confused for a moment before offering him the camera. 

It was so familiar, Noctis couldn’t move for a moment. In that time, Prompto seemed to notice the camera wasn’t what he wanted. He offered a hand up instead, for Noct to pull him to his feet. 

As soon as their hands linked, sparks shot down Noctis’s arm. Prompto’s eyes went wide behind his glasses. “N-Noct?” He asked, his voice twisted up with too much feeling for a ten year old to be capable of handling. 

“Prompto?” It couldn’t be. Could it? Prompto never... did he _remember_ this time? 

The blond yanked him down onto the grass and rolled him into a hug, his voice sprightly and delighted. “Noct! Noct I can remember!” 

Tears in his eyes, Noct squeezed them shut and clung to him tightly. "Prompto. I missed you."

_The End_


End file.
